Chapter 70

"Damn it, damn it! How can this be happening?!"

The captain of the covert operations team roared in the face of the unreasonable scene before him.

Despite being engulfed in the flames of slaughter that seemed to manifest from hell, Raido, who stood before him, did not have a single burn. Moreover, there wasn't even a scorch mark on his clothes.

It was no wonder he went into a frenzy, unable to accept the reality.

"Double incantation of the highest-level magic—what a splendid spell. I'm truly impressed."

The captain, who was scratching his face with his nails and shouting, was ignored by Raido, who instead turned his gaze to the 'Fire-Eater.'

Though his words might have sounded sarcastic coming from an unscathed man, Raido's words were filled with genuine admiration.

The 'Fire-Eater' had used an incredibly high-level fire spell, but the flames did not spread to the buildings. Furthermore, the fire did not even ignite the stacks of firewood or the oil barrels inside the warehouse. Despite the immense power of the spell, the 'Fire-Eater' had precisely controlled his magic to avoid burning anything other than the target, leaving Raido in awe.

"...I am the one who is impressed, Your Highness."

However, the 'Fire-Eater' seemed to take Raido's praise as sarcasm and covered his face with his hand, looking up to the sky.

"It didn't look like you used the power of the holy sword. Did you subdue me with magic alone?"

"Hmm, you figured it out."

"I didn't want to figure it out. If I could, I wouldn't have..."

The 'Fire-Eater' sighed in exasperation.

Raido hadn't used any magic, nor had he drawn his holy sword.

To defend against the fire spell, Raido had done just one thing:

He had unleashed his magic with all his might.

(Who would have thought... Just by pouring out an enormous amount of magic, he could extinguish my flames. Ah, this is really a blow to my confidence.)

The flames the 'Fire-Eater' had released were magical flames, created by magic.

In theory, they could be nullified by the same magic, but it was an incredibly inefficient method.

To put it in perspective, it was like trying to extinguish a bonfire by blowing on it.

(Just how much magic does one need to do that? It feels like I'm challenging a god or a demon.)

During his time as a court magician, the 'Fire-Eater' had possessed one of the kingdom's most formidable magical powers, but even he was far too light to be on the same scale as Raido's magic. The difference was like that between a candle flame and a forest fire.

"I surrender. I surrender, I surrender! I'm giving up!"

The 'Fire-Eater,' finding it futile to continue, quickly gave up on fighting Raido and sat down cross-legged on the spot.

Although he had once resolved to die, he knew that his determination was no more than a speck of dust to the monster before him.

There was no point in resisting futilely.

Do with me as you will, cook me or burn me.

"Y-You, 'Fire-Eater'!? Are you planning to betray us!?"

The captain of the covert operations team shouted, baring his teeth at the surrender of their strongest asset.

"Because, Captain, my 30 years of magical practice were so easily nullified. There's no way I can burn the prince, no matter what I do."

"Even so, you are a direct subordinate of the royal family!? Don't you have any sense of gratitude or loyalty to the royal family!?"

"No, I was just fired from my previous job and ended up here. I have no gratitude or loyalty to the king."

"You...!"

The 'Fire-Eater,' sitting with his butt on the floor, laughed with a grin. The captain, veins popping on his forehead, was about to turn his blade on the traitor.

"Besides... I don't think I'm the only one whose heart is shattered, you know?"

"Huh?"

When the captain turned around in confusion, he saw that the other covert operatives had lost their will to fight and were sitting on the ground.

Some were holding their heads, some were dazed, and some were clasping their hands in prayer to God. In the end, there was even one who had given up on life and was composing a death poem.

The operatives had all lost their will to fight and had dropped their weapons.

"You... What are you doing! Kneeling before the enemy like this...!"

"I admire your loyalty, but not everyone can dedicate their soul to loyalty."

"Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it! Stand up, stand up! We are the elite covert operations team of the royal family! The shadow of the king who cannot allow defeat! How can we be so disgraceful!?"

A wet sound, *splat*, echoed. The captain looked down at the sound coming from beside him and saw the tip of a pitch-black sword protruding from his chest. A red stain slowly spread across his coat.

"I believe I could have won without drawing the holy sword, but I respect your loyalty. May you depart with this single strike."

"Gah..."

"You were a loyal subject unworthy of that foolish brother of mine. You were."

Raido pulled the Dain Slave, which he had thrust into the captain's back, out. The captain, freed from the holy sword's blade, wobbled and fell to the ground, a pool of red spreading across the warehouse floor.

"...You were a noisy boss, but I didn't hate you that much."

After confirming the captain's death, the 'Fire-Eater' sent countless fireflies flying with both hands as a gesture of mourning.

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