Chapter 58
“Final Battle: The Shadow Faction”
(Kingdom of Schemes and Conspiracies Arc IX)
Before dawn, the royal capital was eerily silent.
No birds sang, and only the faint glow of the street’s magical lamps pierced the darkness.
Then, cutting through that silence—
Gooong, Gooong…
A deep bell began to toll, echoing across the city and shaking people from their sleep.
“…It’s begun.”
Leon’s low voice came from atop the palace roof as he looked down at the city.
From one corner of the capital, black smoke rose, and countless shadows writhed below.
Masked men—the Shadow Faction.
On the main avenue, the masked group unleashed a barrage of spells.
Pillars of flame and spears of lightning crossed the night.
Walls crumbled, cobblestones burned, and screams filled the air.
Then, cutting through the chaos, a small group appeared—
a single teacher and his companions.
“…Raisin’ all this fuss so early in the mornin’, huh.”
Kai sighed and cracked his neck.
Behind him stood Rutia, Leon, Filia, and Rutia’s two brothers.
“Sir Cross, allow us to lead the charge,”
said the eldest brother, Wilhelm, unsheathing his blade with a gleam of steel.
“Kai-sensei, I’ll put up a barrier!”
Filia began weaving glowing sigils in the air.
“Well then,” Kai said, rolling his shoulders,
“guess that makes me the supervisor.”
The masked men began chanting in unison.
Flames shaped into dragons, lightning into lances, ice into towering walls—
grand-scale magic took form around them.
“Alright then—come at me, all of ya!”
Kai shouted, tracing formulas in the air.
In an instant, a transparent sphere expanded around him.
The air trembled, the world groaned.
Absolute Defense – “Absolute Shield.”
A heartbeat later, dozens of powerful spells detonated at once.
Thunder roared, light swallowed the street—
But when the smoke cleared—
“…Ain’t doin’ a thing.”
Flame, lightning, and ice—all shattered harmlessly against the outer surface of the sphere.
The stone streets beneath remained completely untouched.
“Impossible!”
“You mean to tell me it didn’t even crack?!”
“No human could—!”
The masked men faltered.
“Nah,” Kai said with a wry grin,
“just math, really. Layered enough of it, that’s all.”
He raised his hand.
“Now then—our turn.”
Rutia leapt forward.
Her sword blazed with flame as she tore straight through the enemy’s front line.
“With my husband’s defense, my sword shall never falter!”
“Stop callin’ me that!!” Kai yelled.
Wilhelm and his younger brother Gregor charged in from either flank.
Their swordsmanship was precise, merciless—
the masked foes fell one after another.
Leon lifted the royal blade high, golden light flaring around him.
“Those who threaten this kingdom—I, Leon, shall cut you down!”
His shout rallied the soldiers and calmed the terrified citizens watching from afar.
Filia, meanwhile, layered circles of light,
accelerating her allies’ movements and reinforcing their strength.
“Kai-sensei! Please protect everyone—I’ll support from here!”
The tide of battle turned completely.
Though they outnumbered the defenders, the masked men were driven back step by step.
“Retreat! Retreat!” someone screamed.
But no matter how they tried, not a single one could breach Kai’s Absolute Shield.
Their spells were all repelled—sometimes rebounding upon themselves.
By the end, only the fallen and the fleeing remained.
The streets were strewn with shattered masks and trembling remnants of the enemy.
At that moment, a squad of soldiers came running from the palace quarter.
They were the elite guard of the capital, armored in silver.
“Outsiders! Subdue—”
The captain froze mid-command, eyes widening.
For before him, the masked men knelt within Kai’s shield—
disarmed, trembling, their will to fight completely broken.
“…By the gods…”
The soldiers could only stare in disbelief.
Kai lowered his arm, dissolving the shield.
The transparent barrier vanished like mist,
and the captured men flinched as if exposed to sunlight.
“Why… did you protect us?”
“We… we were trying to burn you alive…”
Their voices trembled—
for the first time, doubt flickered in their eyes.
Were the orders they’d obeyed truly righteous?
Rutia sheathed her blade and turned toward Kai.
Her blue eyes burned bright, proud and unyielding.
“See? With Kai around, we’re absolutely invincible.”
“…Quit callin’ me that husband thing.”
“Eh? I didn’t say it this time.”
“…Oh. Right.”
Kai sighed, half a smile tugging at his lips, and finally exhaled in relief.
Dawn began to rise, painting the sky in soft crimson hues.
The final battle was over.
And at long last, morning returned to the royal capital.
