The Peaceful Life Of A Maid Who Hides Her Power And Enjoys It - Chapter 165

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 165

An unprecedented confidence surged through me, but I didn’t get excited and examined the floor.

I could see my steps, though slow, moving forward little by little, little by little. As if I was overwhelming him one-sidedly.

‘Something’s strange. We’re clearly fighting on equal terms, but only the Weatherwax Baroness keeps retreating.’

…Could it be, this is.

‘Is he stalling for time?’

The grandfather clock would chime in 5 minutes, bringing guards rushing in to capture and detain us!

‘I need to make a move.’

After checking the hour hand of the grandfather clock, I put killing intent into my sword for the first time. And I began swinging my sword somewhat urgently and roughly. With the single-minded determination to seriously wound the Weatherwax Baroness.

‘Ugh.’

The Weatherwax Baroness’s movements began to change subtly. Recognizing this fact, I attacked the Weatherwax Baroness with even greater emotion.

Emotional attacks never end well.

Clang!

The pearl sword flew away.

“That was a bit hasty just now. …It’s been a while since I’ve immersed myself with full sincerity. What a pity, Count Andert.”

The Weatherwax Baroness is not a kind person.

He always pursues efficiency. He was a man who would accept small losses without concern to achieve what he wanted.

Such a Weatherwax Baroness’s purpose was capture. And the efficient way to capture an opponent who resists with all their might is…

Indeed, there’s nothing but to draw blood.

“You need to become a bit more docile.”

The Weatherwax Baroness raised his sword toward me.

It was as calculated.

‘Now, Jin!’

Did my voice reach her? From far away, Jin came running toward me, clutching her solar plexus.

She flew over in a single step and stood protectively blocking my front. In that split second, the Weatherwax Baroness’s movement slowed.

This is the moment.

I, and Jin, had been waiting for this moment.

“When danger comes, you block in front of me.”

“Me… you mean?”

“Yes. It’ll be dangerous. A sword swung to cut the shoulder might accidentally pierce your heart if things go wrong. Can you do it? No, can you trust?”

My judgment.

And the person called the Weatherwax Baroness.

‘Jin alone could never cut the Weatherwax Baroness. But…’

The Weatherwax Baroness also cannot cut Jin.

Using someone and threatening them are strictly different things. What master in the world could coldly cut down their disciple?

Especially a disciple to whom they had even given trials to overcome walls.

“I’m sorry, Duke.”

Jin didn’t miss the moment when the Weatherwax Baroness faltered. Aiming for the timing when the sword’s trajectory changed, she drew out a bluish dagger hidden in her sleeve and attacked the Weatherwax Baroness’s eyes.

The Weatherwax Baroness didn’t just take it. He instinctively raised his left hand to protect his eyes, and the dagger pierced through the Weatherwax Baroness’s palm instead of his eyes.

Whether eyes or palm, it didn’t matter.

As long as it pierced through.

“…Good work, Jin.”

As the Kalerpa magic contained in the dagger was injected, the Weatherwax Baroness’s movement stopped instantly. I supported the collapsing Jin while grasping the dagger’s handle.

This dagger was a magical tool gifted by Urdr and Skuld, crafted after the sword-shaped magical tool that Lu had used to peer into my soul.

“So, you said you needed a magical tool? What do you need it for?”

“I want to examine Duke Berkley Greytown’s memories.”

“Creating magical tools requires great expense and time. Depending on the situation, torture might be more efficient.”

“Unfortunately… he’s not the type to open his mouth voluntarily.”

So I’ll have to forcibly check what he’s thinking.

Through the magical tool, the Weatherwax Baroness’s memories began rushing rapidly into my head.

In other words, the information he had kept tightly hidden in his mind.

* * *

The Weatherwax Baroness’s memories.

The memories were like black and white newspaper photos strung together. Intense momentary afterimages appeared sporadically and flashed before my eyes.

The first scene that appeared was summer of Year 0 of the Allied Forces Declaration.

Inside Zihark’s headquarters, two men were having a conversation.

“Heart crystal? That’s an unfamiliar item.”

At Zihark’s question, his aide answered while scanning through documents.

“It’s said to be a stone made by crystallizing a dead person’s heart. According to reports, it’s the core of Loqwe magic studies… It seems to be used as a high-purity energy source.”

“A high-purity energy source. It might be related to those bizarre monsters that Mephistopheles commands. Investigate it in more detail.”

“Yes.”

The scene became blurry.

Not long after, the merciless winter began when the Pen Rota Empire started experiencing full-scale wartime.

Winter of Year 1 of the Allied Forces Declaration.

An aide who arrived at Zihark’s headquarters gave a report.

“Duke. Half of the four Loqwe-affiliated mages we contacted have agreed to our demands. These personnel will be treated as killed in action immediately upon arriving at Regment Ravine in two weeks, and Loqwe will be told that body transfer was impossible due to the rapid currents in that ravine. The two will be sent straight to Eastern Lake Irigel to be put into ‘heart crystal research.'”

Over the past six months, Zihark had obtained multiple pieces of information about heart crystals through independent intelligence gathering.

He judged that research on heart crystals was extremely important.

Coincidentally, some of the support forces sent from Loqwe and the Northern Continent were disgusted with their homeland’s passive attitude toward the war, and he recruited some of them.

This cooperation was possible because heart crystal research was ultimately a means to counter Mephistopheles’ army.

“Was that stone I sent to Irigel also a heart crystal?”

Zihark asked about the strange object he had picked up.

“Yes. I heard it’s a special heart crystal containing a considerable amount of energy. They requested confirmation that the discovery location was really Quin Island.”

“Quin Island is correct. It’s something I found right after the Quin Island incident a year ago. I found it strange because no matter what I did to it, it wouldn’t even get scratched… So it was indeed a heart crystal.”

The heart crystal the Weatherwax Baroness picked up was called ‘Queen’ and played a major role in research progress.

Winter of Year 8 of the Allied Forces Declaration.

A completely aged aide and a nomage with his face hidden by a hood visited Zihark’s headquarters.

The Weatherwax Baroness’s face greeting them was blackened with extreme fatigue. He asked with an angry expression.

“So, you want to halt the research like this?”

“Duke. ‘Queen’ certainly possesses tremendous energy. But our technology cannot keep up.”

“…”

“To speak coldly, the only research that has shown proper results over the past 7 years has been trap research, healing magic research, and post-traumatic stress disorder improvement research. Chimera production research to counter demons is virtually impossible…”

“Even so, we cannot give up like this.”

“Your Grace.”

“According to schedule, the Allied Forces will enter Quin Island within 2 years. Continue supporting the research until then.”

“…Understood.”

After several more arguments, the aide led the nomage out of the headquarters.

Autumn of Year 9 of the Allied Forces Declaration.

The nomage who visited the headquarters again knelt and protested.

“Duke, we can’t do this anymore.”

Zihark’s face glaring at him was grizzled with untrimmed beard.

“You can’t do this anymore. I don’t understand. It’s difficult? What exactly is difficult? Support? I’ve spared no expense in providing the best support while avoiding the eyes of the Allied Forces and the Imperial family. Security? Not even a trace of a small mouse has been found near Irigel for the past 8 years. Yet what is hindering the research!”

This was the first time seeing Zihark so angry. The nomage swallowed dry saliva and began explaining in a calm voice.

“…The core of our research was Queen. A heart with overwhelming energy and magical power. Using this noble heart that we could hardly think of as human, we were able to conduct research that was extremely efficient, incomparable to other research.”

“And?”

“After 8 years of research, we became certain. This heart does not allow our chimera research.”

The nomage continued with a self-deprecating expression.

“Do you believe it? The idea that this pebble smaller than a thumbnail has a consciousness. The chimera research didn’t fail. This heart simply didn’t permit it. For example, all research related to mental treatment was successful…”

“Ridiculous. You’re not asking me to believe that now, are you?”

The nomage was driven out of the headquarters just like that.

In his place, three mages were summoned again, but they too made the same claims as if bewitched by something. They claimed that the heart’s ego refused the chimera research.

The Allied Forces were on the verge of entering Quin Island, and it was time for a decisive action.

Eventually, Zharkh decided to halt research support. And to prevent the researchers’ futile endeavors, he retrieved Queen.

Queen, which had returned to Zharkh’s possession, reappeared in the world not many months later.

“What is this?”

“A secret elixir passed down through generations of the Berkley-Greytown Family.”

Zharkh’s reason for giving Queen to Andert, his comrade-in-arms, companion, and disciple, was simple.

Because there was no other option.

War requires sacrifice. And victory requires even more sacrifice.

But Zharkh could not be sacrificed. The same would be true for Raphael. Millions of Allied Forces had set foot on this island trusting and relying solely on them.

He knew that Andert could not survive. But he hoped that Andert could at least embrace the possibility of “what if.”

No matter how great an energy source it was, if it ultimately couldn’t stop Mephistopheles, it would be useless. If it couldn’t help Andert who was advancing toward death, it would be no better than trash.

Andert was their last possibility.

And their possibility ultimately achieved victory.

Ten years after the Allied Forces declaration, winter.

As Mephistos Castle collapsed with a massive explosion, the demon forces that had threatened humanity’s survival crumbled and disappeared like sand.

It was a mirage-like spectacle that would never be forgotten, even in death.

“W-we won!”

“Grand Sorcerer Mephistopheles is dead! Victory to the Allied Forces!”

While everyone celebrated victory, someone could not hide their grief over their friend’s sacrifice.

“Andert…”

Afterward, they thoroughly searched through the collapsed castle ruins, but no traces of Mephistopheles and Andert could be found.

The Allied Forces had won.

And the hero had died.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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