CH 70
"......!"
At Ethan's words, Benjamin realized that he had confessed with his mouth that the magic stone came from the magic tower.
"My Lord."
Then Jade hurriedly approached Ethan and handed the papers to Ethan. Swish, swish, the sound of him flipping through papers was especially louder.
"You don't have to worry. I've found all your friends."
Thwack, a sheet of paper fell at Ethan's feet. Then, in Benjamin's field of vision, the names written in clear letters appeared as if they were pierced through his eyes.
[Oliven, olive hair and olive eyes. Long hair and a slim figure. His age is unknown, but he looks relatively young. The accent is mixed with the North Continental accent. It is presumed that the interest was the one who broke into Stenia Hall and dropped the magic stone. Belluna, silver hair and amber eyes. Long hair tied up. The behavior is as neat as the knight and has no unnecessities. The scar on the back of the neck seems to extend all the way to the back. Moving with olive hair on her back. Benjamin, dark red hair with red eyes, and unkempt hair covering his earlobe. There was a magical reaction from one of the priests on the temple side, but since the interest was separated from his party, there is a strong possibility that he was infiltrating the Imperial Palace as a priest.]
"It doesn’t matter that you are a magician, you can't escape Ambrosia's grasp on this land, this Empire."
Ethan said that and sat slowly in front of Benjamin and looked at him. Looking at the face stained with disgrace, he made up a friendly tone and said.
"Your friends will greet you slowly later, so answer me."
"......"
"Can you cure Sarah?"
Benjamin did not answer Ethan's question. It wasn’t that he didn't want to do it, he couldn't guarantee it. The power that their master studied was fundamentally a power that ate vitality, so it was in the realm of the gods to reinvigorate the vitality once consumed. All they could do with magic was to replenish the consumed stamina and reduce the pain.
"......"
Ethan got up without hesitation as if he had gotten an answer from that heavy and somber silence.
"Take him away."
An order without mercy was issued. The Knights of Ambrosia raised Benjamin with a violent gesture. Benjamin meekly got up to his hand and opened his mouth.
"I will take Master to the magic tower."
"Do you think I'll allow that? Can't you see clearly that there's no such thing as a magic tower that can heal Sarah?"
"Still, I can't put Master next to the owner of the power that made her like that."
"That's what I want to say on my part. How can I trust you guys? The disciples who tried to hurt their master."
"......How dare you insult us?"
"It's an insult. I was just stating the truth. If you guys didn't do anything, would Sarah be like that?"
At Ethan's question, Benjamin bit his lip. Then he poured all his mana into the magic control device that was placed on his wrist. Then, dark red mana began to fill the magic control device.
"If words don't work, I'll take her by force."
"......My Lord!"
It was already too late when Jade, who had witnessed this, urgently called Ethan. Bang! With that sound, Benjamin and Ethan were burst out at the same time.
"Father!"
As the magic exploded, Claude was startled by the roar and called for Ethan. However, as the floor had been dug by the impact just before, a thick layer of smoke was rising, making it impossible to see properly. Claude looked at Ethan with a hopeless gaze, clasping Sarah's hand.
"......Heok, Claude-nim!"
Then, seeing Benjamin's dazzling dark red eyes through the rising smoke, May swallowed and looked for Claude. At the same time, Ethan's roar was heard from somewhere beyond the smoke.
"Protect Sarah and Claude!"
At Ethan's command, the Knights of Ambrosia moved in unison and rushed towards one place. Clang, the sound of swords clashing, and the sound of large and small explosions were heard.
"C, Claude, come here. Quickly!"
Taking the opportunity, May pulled Claude towards her and wrapped Sarah tightly in a blanket. And she began to carefully move Sarah across the room to where Ethan's voice had been heard. She didn't have the speed to take care of Claude and Sarah at the same time, but May didn’t rush.
"Ma, May, over there!"
Then Claude found something and pulled May's hem.
"......!"
While observing Sarah's condition for a moment, Benjamin came up to them and stood right in front of them.
"......I'll take her with me."
His red eyes gleamed eerily, and he stretched out his large hand. Between his thick and long fingers, they could see the Knights of Ambrosia lying down in the distance. May's heart started beating like crazy. At that time.
"N. No. Not Nanny."
Claude stepped forward in front of May and Sarah and spread his arms to stop Benjamin. Benjamin looked down at Claude like that, as if sarcastically.
"She's my master. Get out of the way."
"She’s my nanny. You get out of my way!"
"What?"
"Nanny made an oath with me. She promised to stay with me!"
Claude said while raising the little finger that was connected with her mana when he made the oath with Sarah.
"That's why you can't take her. Because she said it was a magician's oath!"
Benjamin's face was horribly distorted at the words 'magician's oath'.
"Master made an oath with a kid like you....?"
When Benjamin faltered for a moment, Ethan's voice was heard behind Claude's back.
"Claude, back off!"
At that urgent voice, Claude quickly sat down. Ethan threw a sword over Claude's head, and it flew and struck on Benjamin's shoulder.
"Ugh!"
Benjamin staggered back for a moment at the burning pain. Still, he stretched out his hand towards Sarah. There was still dark red magic in his hand. Ethan, having secured time by throwing a sword from afar, approached him and ordered May.
"Take Claude and go as far as possible."
"But, but Duke-nim, Sarah-nim is!"
"I'll do anything, so take Claude to a safe place first. I'm going to use my power from now on."
Ethan smoothed Sarah's ring on her finger. He tried to make it as convenient as possible for Sarah’s disciple, but if it came out this way, he had no choice but to show his sincerity.
"It's no use, I'll take Master home."
At that time, the shape of a magic circle was created from Benjamin’s hands, who had a fishy smile on his lips. And at that moment, Ethan hurriedly narrowed the distance and approached Benjamin's shoulder, drew the sharp sword, and swung it long.
"......Ugh!"
While Benjamin avoided the sword, he continued to infuse mana into the magic circle. Claude had seen the shape of a magic circle similar to that. When Sarah hugged him and jumped off the mansion and went to the market in an instant. At that time, the magic circle that spread under Sarah's feet looked like this.
'He’s going to take Nanny.'
Claude blinked slowly and ran to Sarah and hugged her.
Why are you taking her away? Why? Why on earth? Why should I be taken away by others like this?
Tears dropped from Claude's eyes out of resentment. Claude was engulfed in a fear that he would never see her again if Sarah was taken away by that person.
"Help me, Nanny. Help me...."
Sarah's clear voice passed through Claude's mind countless times. Claude-nim, the voice that called out his name affectionately. The great magician's confident voice that didn't tell lies, and....
'I'll be by your side until Claude-nim is happy.'
If only Sarah could open her eyes, if only she could see Claude crying so sadly right now. Perhaps she would be able to defeat that bad disciple and embrace him again.
"Please wake up, Sarah!"
The moment when Claude desperately shouted with his eyes closed. Something choked up and filled inside him, along with a thirst as if scratching his neck, quickly overtaken Claude.
"Heok!"
With a scream, Claude collapsed over Sarah. Upon witnessing it, May screamed and tried to approach Claude.
"Aargh!"
However, with a surge of great power, May fell backward and rolled over. On Claude's fallen little finger, the evidence of the oath he made with Sarah appeared again clearly. And at that moment,
"Claude!"
A dazzling light began to emanate from Claude.