Episode 79 – Short and Intense
5 Minutes Before the Incident
Backstage, Vernel was breathing heavily.
“Haa… Haa…”
How long had it been since he stood on a stage like this? Had he ever truly expected this day to come?
I’ve imagined it before.
But did he really believe it would happen? No. Others might have, but not Vernel. All his life, he had been ignored, pushed aside. He had almost lost his organs to loan sharks. Everything changed when Ferda intervened. But even then, he never imagined standing here.
Vernel lifted the curtain slightly and peeked outside. A grand opera house. Seats stretched everywhere. His heart pounded—not just with excitement, but also pressure. Fear.
Venel, do you truly believe this is possible?
The words of Bernard, the Academy director, echoed in his mind.
“It’s easy to propose foolish dreams. But what will you do when they consume you?”
“Don’t think you can break all the existing laws. You may be smart, but you’re not that kind of genius.”
Bernard had tried to crush him. Vernel had refused to give up. But ever since, he had found it difficult to trust people. Especially standing here.
Would they laugh at him again?
Would they throw pointless criticisms and shake his confidence?
Would he disappoint the people who believed in him?
Those doubts wrapped around his neck like hands, choking him.
Even so, I have to do this.
For Ferda, who believed in him.
For Bernard, to make him eat his words.
And for himself, who had dedicated everything to this moment.
“Haaah… Why isn’t this stupid calming tea working?”
He had drunk several cups of herbal tea meant to ease nerves. But his mind was still restless. With his hands clasped tightly, he prayed. Maybe, just maybe, something would happen to cancel the event.
“Kyaaaah!!!”
A scream. As if answering his desperate wish, a piercing scream rang out.
Vernel flinched, snapping out of his thoughts.
“What? What happened?”
The event staff scattered in panic. Instead of running, Vernel tried to grasp the situation.
And then—
“…Hah!”
A rift had opened. A Gate. Right inside the opera house. A portal was releasing monsters.
Is that even possible?
Monster gates appearing in cities were rare. But one appearing here, right now, during a monster detection demonstration? The timing was too suspicious.
Should I run?
Vernel instinctively stepped back. But then—someone grabbed his ankle. His eyes met Ferda’s. Ferda stood firm. No hesitation. No fear. Running was never an option.
Noblesse Oblige.
Ferda was fulfilling his duty as a noble. Vernel was moved by that gaze.
I have to do something too.
He couldn’t risk his life like before. But he could help. His eyes darted to the object he had prepared: a Magitech Rifle.
Vernel grabbed it and activated the system.
Adjust mana output. Preheat the chamber. Align the targeting system. Match the power settings.
Why are there so many steps?
Over twenty separate actions were required. Originally, it had over a hundred steps. Vernel had simplified it for Malcolm.
But it’s still too complicated.
Before the event, he had thought: This should be simple enough, right? People could handle this much, right?
No.
For Malcolm to use it, it had to be instant. If a weapon wasn’t easy to use in an emergency, it was useless. Every second wasted meant more casualties.
Damn it.
He had been an idiot. Just like the director said. Instead of thinking about what was necessary, he obsessed over tiny improvements.
Even as he cursed himself, his hands never stopped moving. Right now, in this moment—he had to do what he could.
Finally, the rifle was ready. He pulled the bolt back.
Vwooom—! The acceleration magic activated, vibrating inside the barrel.
Vernel climbed onto the stage.
The battle was nearing its end. Only two wolf monsters remained. They lunged at Ferda.
They’re so fast!
Vernel had one chance. One shot to hit the target. But just holding the rifle was hard enough—tracking their movements was nearly impossible.
Crackle! Lightning burst from Ferda’s hand. One wolf was struck down.
But the other wasn’t. It leaped over Jed and went straight for Ferda. Its jaws aimed at Ferda’s throat.
No!
Vernel stopped hesitating. He pulled the trigger. The mana formula activated. A glowing mana sphere formed inside the chamber. It shot forward—
Bang!
The bullet pierced the monster’s chest. Right through the heart. The wolf monster whimpered, convulsed, then collapsed.
One shot. One single shot had taken it down.
Even Vernel was stunned. He had set the rifle to high power—but he never expected it to kill in a single hit. He had only hoped to buy time. But the result didn’t matter. The loud explosion, the final monster’s death—everyone’s eyes turned to Vernel. Mouths hung open in shock.
“What was that?”
“Was that magic?”
“Was that a staff? Did he use magic?”
“No way! The staff wouldn’t look like that!”
They were all focused on the strange device in his hands. The event was meant to showcase mana stones. The Magitech Rifle had been only a side project.
Vernel swallowed. He needed to say something. Anything. Under pressure, he opened his mouth.
“…This is the Magitech Rifle I developed.”
That was it. He couldn’t say more. But he didn’t need to. Those few words were enough to leave a deep impact on everyone present.
Meanwhile…
From a distance, a group of people watched the scene. The situation had been resolved. The aftermath was being cleaned up.
“Seven wolf monsters.”
“How many people were supposed to die?”
“At least 300. Including the Escolaya Academy director.”
“But no one died.”
“Not even Bernard.”
The first man clicked his tongue.
“The one who planned this… won’t escape punishment.”
This wasn’t a small miscalculation. It was a complete failure.
The Reason for Failure
“What do you think is the reason for our failure?”
“Do you need an answer?”
“I just wanted to check if we were thinking the same thing.”
The reason for their defeat could be summed up in one name:
“Ferda Valdrova.”
“It was him, wasn’t it?”
Ferda Valdrova. His name had been spreading among the demons recently. Everything went wrong as soon as he got involved.
“I heard he even attacked a research facility with demons. Did we end up like this because we underestimated him?”
“We didn’t underestimate him. If anything, we overestimated him.”
That overestimation came from Rinne, the research director. The demons believed her testimony was just an excuse to explain their defeat.
“But now, even that overestimation seems too low.”
Ferda was beyond their imagination.
“He knows how to neutralize monsters using weak 1st and 2nd Circle spells.”
“He assessed the battlefield and allocated forces perfectly. It was a bit risky, but even that seemed calculated.”
“He’s cold and rational. He looks like he’s experienced in battle.”
“But he’s just 18 years old. How is that possible?”
“Maybe he’s been to the battlefield before?”
“Look at his body. He doesn’t even have muscles. How could someone like that fight?”
“If that’s not the case… maybe he was born with it?”
“No, it doesn’t seem like a natural talent. He’s too precise, too calculated.”
There were many guesses about Ferda, but no clear answers.
“Maybe the answer lies in other factors.”
“What do you mean?”
“We should widen our perspective. Look for other clues.”
He nodded toward a brown-haired man.
“That guy, Jed, is strange too. Could he move like that just because of a Haste spell?”
“No. Humans can’t move like that. He must have lived at that speed his whole life.”
“I thought it was odd for a swindler to be chosen as a knight, but now I see why.”
“And that guy, Malcolm…”
“He’s just an idiot. Even now, after the battle, he’s busy kidnapping mages.”
“…That’s true.”
The other man fell into thought.
“We need to change our threat levels. At least to Albert-class.”
“You mean for Ferda Valdrova? That seems rushed. I think he’s still within expectations.”
The man shook his head, pointing at Vernel.
“I’m not talking about him. That man on the stage—the blue-haired one. He killed a wolf monster in one strike with a device that looks like artwork. His influence will surpass Ferda Valdrova’s.”
The Battle’s Aftermath
With the seven wolf monsters dead, the crisis at the hall was over. Many were injured, but not a single person died. Normally, even one monster would kill at least three. Seven monsters should have been a massacre. But everything ended before reinforcements arrived. Unbelievable.
And the person who led this miracle? Ferda.
“Thank you for saving our lives, Regent.”
“We are honored by your noble sacrifice, my lord.”
Both fighters and survivors bowed before him. Ferda had stood on the frontlines, never backing down. Noblesse Oblige in action.
Another figure also left a strong impression.
“Do you know who that man is?”
“I heard he’s Vernel Marquis. He came for the presentation.”
Vernel. He appeared at the last moment and finished the monsters. His name spread naturally.
“Ah, I remember now. The academy director Bernard insisted on recruiting him.”
“Is that what he meant?”
“No, it’s not a magic stone. That device is something else entirely.”
Magical engineering. Technology capable of killing monsters in a single strike. That alone made people pay attention.
Vernel noticed the gaze of the crowd and approached Ferda.
“My lord… I have something to tell you…”
“Speak.”
Malcolm’s Mistake
Ferda had to step in himself. The situation resolved in ten seconds. Malcolm, sweating, bowed.
“I’m sorry, Regent. I made a mistake.”
“No, raise your head. Did you commit a crime?”
“You told me to bring mages, but I brought a noblewoman instead… I put you in a difficult situation…”
“That was unavoidable. You did what you had to do. As a knight of the Royal Territory, you followed my orders and did an excellent job.”
Ferda was grateful. If Malcolm had tried to persuade the mages instead of taking them by force, none would have come. The operation would have collapsed.
“…Thank you. Hic!”
Malcolm teared up.
A Noble Kneels
Just then, a man approached Ferda. People stepped aside, showing he was important.
“The bearer of the great fire, mate of Valdrova. I am Ahmad, Lord of Halim.”
Before Ferda could respond, Ahmad fell to his knees.
“On behalf of Halim, I thank you for bringing this crisis under control.”
Everyone was shocked.
“The Lord of Halim… knelt?”
“Even the Imperial Emperor couldn’t make him bow…”
Southern lords were proud—they rarely bowed. Yet Ahmad knelt before Ferda in public. His reputation soared.
“I only did my duty as a noble.”
“Who else would risk their life in another’s land? Let me take you to my castle. We will treat your wounds and talk further.”
Ferda remembered—his neck had been pierced. It had stopped bleeding, but it still throbbed. This would leave a scar.
“Can you heal it completely?”
“Of course. The best healers will make sure not even a scar remains.”
And so, Ferda headed to the Lord’s castle with Ahmad.
