Chapter 21

Feeling infuriated.

This was the first time in his life that those words felt so fitting.

Groaning, he stood up, and Locke wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his finger, while Felter laughed, shaking his shoulders.

A few meters ahead, Shenli lay on the ground, trembling, and Coat, who was bleeding from his leg, was also there.

This wasn't a children's fight, nor was it mere bullying. Such words were too gentle.

I immediately placed my hand on Shenli's shoulder and, infusing it with magic, said, "Healing Water."

The healing magic healed Shenli's body from the inside and out.

The minor abrasions, bruises, and visible wounds seemed to have healed. Next, I turned to Coat, who looked as if he had been battered and bruised.

"Water of Life."

I supported him by grabbing his shoulders and infused magic, activating the healing spell. This should have healed any serious internal damage he might have had.

His injuries healed rapidly, and Coat looked down at his own feet in surprise.

"Are you okay?"

I confirmed this and then looked at Locke and Felter again.

"Explain why you did this. Even if it started as a fight, it's wrong to injure others."

Hearing this, Locke snorted and laughed, pointing at me.

"Are you saying that even a royal can be punished for harming a commoner?"

"Of course. Are you an idiot? If a king were to kill a commoner without reason or justice, such a country wouldn't last long. It's not the Roman Empire; if a king ignores the people's hearts, the country will decline."

Hearing this, Locke laughed out loud.

"You're the fool! Who judges the king!? How can our Varted Kingdom, the largest and most prominent among the six great nations, decline!?"

For some reason, Coat and Shenli looked down in regret at Locke's words.

Tilting my head at their reaction, I shrugged.

"There has never been an eternal country in history. Besides, a tyrant cannot rule for long. The future after that is usually miserable."

I tried to reason with him by referring to history. The history of any of the six great nations is only a few hundred years long. Before that, there were three major powers, but they probably didn't last much longer than a few hundred years.

The same is true on Earth. As long as it's something created by humans, it cannot last forever.

However, Locke didn't understand.

"Don't compare our country to just any other! You know nothing about the governance of the Varted Kingdom, so don't speak frivolously! Be ashamed of your ignorance!"

"I admit I am ignorant. But, to understand the greatness of the Varted Kingdom, do you think you have common sense and a sense of right and wrong?"

When I asked, Locke thumped his chest and nodded confidently.

"Of course. I have received various educations from the talented individuals, court magicians, and the head of the knights of the Varted Kingdom, and I have top-class grades in this academy. I am proof of the greatness of our country."

Hearing his confident words, I sighed deeply.

"If that's all you have, the Varted Kingdom won't last long. What a pity."

The moment I said this, Locke charged at me, turning his anger into momentum.

He seemed to be planning to attack me without using magic, perhaps thinking that he wouldn't lose in a physical fight because I was a woman.

What a fool.

As I was thinking about how to counter, Locke took out a gleaming object from inside his clothes.

It was a dagger, or rather, a short sword, with a blade length of about fifty centimeters. The surface of the blade was engraved with magical runes, indicating it was a high-quality item.

"It's too late to regret! Five Spears of Fire!"

The moment Locke infused magic, multiple magic arrays floated in the air in front of him. Then, five spears of fire appeared horizontally in front of Locke.

The air distorted from the heat, and even Locke's smile behind the spears of fire seemed distorted.

"Take this!"

He shouted, and the magic was activated.

The spears of fire came at me in the blink of an eye.

However, the moment the spears of fire approached me, they burst into flames one after another, forming a wall of fire that scorched everything around it.

The power was that of a high-level lower-tier spell, but if the spears of fire had come separately, they would have been a threat on par with a special-grade spell.

A secret treasure of the royal family. Against ordinary enemies, this magical item could decide the outcome of a battle.

Locke, now confident of victory, was saying something from behind the wall of fire.

"Hmph, ridiculous. This is what happens when you defy me."

Laughing, Locke sneered. I sighed and cast a spell.

"Ice Form."

The moment I spoke, a puddle of water formed at my feet and spread rapidly.

The water spread beyond the wall of fire, covering a radius of about three meters. It rose in waves, forming columns of water.

Then, as the columns of water rose, they enveloped the wall of fire and froze it.

"...What... what is this..."

As the wall of fire froze and shattered, Locke, who was standing on the other side, was frozen in place with wide eyes.

"...Locke Kilbegan."

When I called his name, Locke shuddered.

He must not have expected this. He was so shocked that he couldn't even speak.

"Using magic that injured multiple students from the same school, and even casting a fire spell on a teacher. This is a serious issue."

Hearing this, Locke clicked his tongue, showing his wariness. Cold sweat was streaming down his forehead, indicating that the mental damage was greater than I thought.

I smiled softly at Locke and spoke.

"...We will have a three-way meeting."

Clearly stating this, Locke only looked puzzled.

"W-What do you mean! You monster!"

Trying to mask his fear with a shout, Locke roared like a wild beast.

Deepening my smile, I stepped on the ice pool that had spread on the ground, shattering it with a loud sound.

Eliminating my smile, I stared straight at Locke, who shuddered, and spoke.

"I will call your parents here and give them a thorough lecture. Be prepared. Whether you are a king or an emperor, there is no mercy for parents who have raised their children poorly."

Hearing this, Locke laughed nervously, but his expression changed when he realized I wasn't joking.

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