Chapter 43

"I sent a message to Karlheinz using magic. It's a string of short messages, but the situation should have been conveyed."

Upon receiving an unexpected report from Noah, Claudia was somewhat surprised.

"I was going to ask you to do it. Amazing, Noah, you managed to get through the barrier, didn't you?"

"By force. ...A reply soon."

In Noah's outstretched palm, glowing letters floated up. It was a method of communication that transferred words using magic, but it seemed that some of the letters were missing when passing through the barrier of the curse.

(‘From outside’ ‘Break the barrier’ ‘Time is needed’...)

Though fragmented, Claudia could clearly understand what Karlheinz wanted to convey.

"It's a castle where top magicians gather. If we can break this barrier, we can deal with it with outside help."

"I will break the barrier too. If I add force from the inside, it will be faster—"

"...I'm sorry, Noah."

"!"

Claudia took a shallow breath and smiled.

"There's no time to spare for that. —The curse I was holding back..."

She exhaled.

At that moment, a pitch-black shadow that had been stuck to the ceiling fell like a drop of ink.

"Princess!"

"—...‘Explosion’"

A loud popping sound echoed, and the black droplets scattered.

The black mass that had scattered above Claudia writhed on the floor in agony. However, the black mist that covered the ceiling continued to drip down.

(The curse attacks and absorbs the weakest magic users in the room first. —The children are inside my barrier, so the curse can't find them. Noah and I, who are outside, share the same magic reservoir, so it attacks both of us equally...)

Claudia took a deep breath and told Noah.

"We need to keep clearing this mist until Karlheinz breaks the barrier. Can you move?"

"Leave it to me."

"I'll scatter it. Noah, you destroy it."

With that, Claudia extended her hands in front of her.

The curse mist, which she could no longer contain, rose like countless snakes. She chanted a spell at the mist that bared its fangs and lunged at her.

"‘Freeze’"

A sharp sound rang out, and the mist in front of Claudia froze. At the exact moment, Noah, with a sword in hand, stepped forward.

The sword, manifested by magic, cut through the frozen mist. The shattered ice scattered, and a black steam rose.

"Try not to breathe in the mist. Next, to the right!"

"..."

Claudia froze the mist again, and Noah shattered it in the same way. His movements and sword skills were much faster than a few days ago.

(Karlheinz's teachings. Truly, his growth is astounding.)

Despite the smile on her lips, sweat trickled down Claudia's cheek as she scattered the mist that kept attacking her.

"Ugh...!"

"!"

A scream from her brother, who was behind the barrier she had created, reached her. Claudia immediately turned and chanted a spell.

"‘Lightning’"

"Ah..."

As Erenfried gasped, a bolt of lightning streaked through the darkness. The mist that had tried to wrap around the barrier fell with a sizzling sound.

"Claudia! You really can use magic..."

(The curse is starting to react to the children. My barrier is also weakening.)

She didn't feel her magic power depleting, but her body was reaching its limit in terms of output.

She had been acting so that Noah wouldn't notice, but to control the curse, she needed to constantly suppress it with magic.

It wasn't a one-time activation; she had been continuously pouring magic power into it. Claudia was suppressing the curse while simultaneously attacking.

(Nostalgic. This feeling of my heart aching.)

Breathing was difficult, and she might have collapsed if she wasn't careful. Of course, she didn't show such an undignified side and manipulated magic gracefully.

(The one to be concerned about is Noah more than me.)

Noah was a bundle of talent.

He possessed vast magic power, and his skills were improving rapidly, as was his sword handling. However, he was still just a nine-year-old boy.

"Ha...!!"

Noah slashed through the mist that Claudia's magic had missed.

However, his breathing was steadily becoming labored, and his thin shoulders began to rise and fall in distress.

(Fighting while consuming magic power; he has no experience with prolonged battles. I must not let Noah get hurt or die...)

The barrier covering the hall had been creaking since a while ago.

Karlheinz, who was outside, was trying to break the barrier. It wouldn't take long for them to come to their aid.

(But it's a close call.)

While erasing the curse in front of her, she thought calmly.

If Claudia reached her limit, the barrier protecting the children would break. The suppressed curse would activate and devour the magic power of the weakest.

(No matter how much I grow up, I'm just a vessel of deception, and my capabilities are limited.)

Just like the children behind her, she couldn't let Noah be in danger.

Ideally, she would have locked Noah up with his brothers. But since she couldn't protect them alone, she left him on ‘this side’.

But involving Noah would go no further than this.

(Calculate. Efficient output, a way to fight while this body is still useful—...)

Her heart was beating loudly.

Even a slight breath felt like her lungs were burning. Claudia didn't show this on her face and continued chanting spells.

"—‘Inferno’!"

With a fierce roar, flames rose in the area in front of her.

The mist, like snakes, writhed in agony. Noah cut off its head and kicked it away with his foot.

(Just a little more. If we keep this up, we can burn the rest away.)

Right then.

"...Ah, cough...!"

Unable to bear the sensation, Claudia pressed her palm to her mouth.

(...No. I can't let him see this...)

But it was difficult, and the moment she coughed again, red seeped through the gaps between her fingers.

"Mmm..."

The red droplets that fell from her lips stained her dress and the floor.

(Ah, it's over.)

The copious amount of blood that overflowed clearly indicated the abnormality in her body.

(—This is beyond repair—...)

"...!!"