IBTCETEC 06

~Chapter 6~

As soon as she felt the aura flowing inside her, Regina sensed something was strange. She lifted her head but couldn’t keep thinking, because Conrad’s eyes were staring right at her. His blue eyes looked like the sea, moving gently like waves.

Conrad stared at Regina for a while without speaking. Then he picked up the teacup in front of him.

“Lady Madarin, have you always stayed in Fredericks Empire?”

“I’m weak, so I don’t go out much… But I did visit Permang Empire when I was very young.”

“I also went to Permang when I was a child. Maybe we met there by chance.”

Regina answered, pretending to be troubled.

“I just stayed around the capital city, so I don’t think that happened.”

“Hmmm.”

Conrad’s long finger tapped on the table, making a steady sound. His strong hand, the hand of a man who uses a sword, looked strangely charming to Regina. She looked away without meaning to.

“That hair.”

“Yes?”

Regina was looking somewhere else, but was surprised when Conrad suddenly leaned in closer. His finger was near her hair.

“Is it naturally red?”

“…Yes.”

Conrad’s hand moved closer, but Regina couldn’t even think of dodging. His blue eyes watching her made her mouth dry and her neck tingle.

Her face was about to turn red at the strange closeness, but then—

There was a loud noise outside.

“It’s an attack!”

“Your Majesty! Monsters are coming!”

At those shouts, everyone moved fast.

Before Limutan could come inside, Conrad grabbed his sword.

Srrrrng—
The sword slid out of its scabbard, and sunlight from the tent entrance shined brightly on the blade.

“Protect this place.”

“Yes? Your Majesty!”

Limutan called after Conrad, but he was already gone, rushing out of the tent.

Regina, surprised by the sudden attack, jumped to her feet. As the captain of the magician corps, she knew how dangerous a monster wave was, so she couldn’t sit still.

But then she realized—she couldn’t do anything.

‘I’m really this powerless.’

Limutan noticed Regina’s face twisted with helplessness and patted her shoulder.

“It’ll be fine.”

“Yes, I’m sure it will.”

Regina answered calmly.

The knights outside had power to fight, unlike her, who could only wait and hope the attack passed safely.

“They’re the best knights, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

Limutan kept talking, but he was watching Regina carefully.

People in camp guessed Regina might be a magician, but Limutan didn’t believe it. If she could use magic, she would have healed herself or left the tent already.

“I’m not worried.”

“Then that’s good.”

Limutan answered gruffly. Regina clenched her fist. She had never felt this useless before. When monsters came, she used to lead at the front, but now she was pushed to the back and could only be protected by others.

‘This is so frustrating.’

She was angry at herself for not being able to do anything. Suddenly, memories of kneeling before Heraith came back to her.

To hide her sinking feelings, Regina sat down and stared at her teacup.

Nothing changed, but just watching the unmoving tea helped her calm down a little.

“Huh?”

The tea in the cup suddenly shook. Regina stood up again. The ground was shaking, and she heard a loud crashing sound.

She ducked by instinct, and the tent disappeared in a huge noise.

A dark shadow fell over her, and Regina looked up.

A troll holding the tent in its hand was looking at her hungrily.

“Lady Madarin!”

Limutan shouted in fear. Regina clenched her teeth. If the troll grabbed her, she’d be crushed.

“Get out of the way!”

Suddenly, Conrad’s voice came from somewhere. Regina tried to run away, putting all her strength into her legs.

Conrad wrapped his body around her, shielding her. It was half instinct.

Regina’s eyes went wide.

‘Why? Just for a suspicious prisoner like me?’

But she didn’t have time to wonder.

Even a knight with aura could be badly hurt if a troll hit them.

‘It’s too late to dodge.’

Conrad braced himself for the impact, tensing his body. Regina watched, biting her lip so hard that blood ran down her chin.

She felt anger explode inside her at being helpless again.

“No!”

Regina shouted loudly and forced her magic to rise up.

At that moment, where her hand touched Conrad’s body, a gentle magical power appeared.

Whoosh—

A bright red flame shot up from Regina’s fingertips and trapped the troll.

“Graaaah…!”

The troll, caught in fire, screamed horribly. Its huge arms swung everywhere, ashes flying with the terrible smell.

But the struggle didn’t last. Soon, the troll died with a loud crash.

Boom—

The dust rose and settled.

Everything became quiet.

Regina stared blankly at her hand, which had just unleashed fire magic.

‘Just now, my magic…?’

The moment she realized it, she felt pure joy.

Her magic had definitely come back.

She could feel strong power filling her whole body, and she reached out her hand again as if in a trance.

But it didn’t last.

Using too much magic all at once made her dizzy, and Regina lost consciousness.

Conrad caught Regina as she collapsed. Everyone was staring at her, but Conrad quickly covered her with his cloak.

He took a deep breath and tried to stay calm.

When Regina used magic, Conrad felt his power flowing into her. At the same time, light started to shine from her chest.

Conrad instinctively pulled her close to hide the strange light.

‘What is this?’

The thing glowing like a crescent moon soon faded away.

After making sure the light was gone, Conrad picked Regina up.

“Take care of the wounded and clean up.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Conrad carried Regina to the temporary emperor’s tent and called for the army doctor, Allen.

Allen treated Regina, and Conrad gestured for Limutan to come in.

“Get ready to return to the palace.”

“Understood.”

Regina still didn’t wake up. Allen, after a quick check, reported to Conrad.

“She lost consciousness from suddenly using magic.”

“Anything else?”

“No other injuries.”

Conrad sighed deeply and told Allen to leave.

When Allen bowed and left, Conrad moved to the bed where Regina lay.

He kept thinking about the strange thing that happened just before.

He’d never experienced anything like that, but somehow it didn’t feel unfamiliar. It was like an old legend he’d always heard.

Long ago, when the royal families of Permang and Fredericks were still close, they would share power and help each other.

“My aura actually flowed into her.”

She wasn’t just any magician.

As someone of Fredericks blood, Conrad could only give his aura to someone with Permang blood.

That meant the woman lying here wasn’t just from the Madarin Baron family—she was a royal from Permang.

“I think I’ve found something very interesting.”

He realized he was right—it really was the girl from his childhood memory, and he just found out too late.

He laughed softly. For the first time in a long while, his heart was beating fast.

Regina felt soft warmth at her fingertips. She didn’t want to open her eyes, not wanting to leave this comfort.

‘If I wake up, I’ll be surrounded by monsters again…!’

Thinking that, she touched around with her hand. The soft blanket wasn’t a dream.

Then she remembered the last thing before she fainted.

It was when she used magic suddenly and fell into Conrad’s arms.