Chapter 73: Dark spirit

The tip of the dagger that Noin is holding leaves a thin line on the neck of the man who seems to be the Commander. Then I realized ―even if the man was injured by a sword or by grappling, it’s not like he can’t move.

His hair and even the bed… water is dripping from them flowing to the floor. The voice full of pain that I heard before meant one thing, he was drowned in the water “in this room”.

“Are you planning to fight me? Your magic has some advantage over me, but I will be in a bind if you think that you can win, you know?”

“It’s a suicidal act to provoke our Grass-sensei. If you were a water magician on Zirconia’s side, I feel that I would kill you right away.”

As she says those words, Presha-san took a stance so she can pull out her spear at any time. Noin also felt that Presha-san wasn’t the only one ready to move, the smile on her face disappeared.

―In fact, she looks pale. As I have seen various patients, I can sense the patient’s mental condition to some extent based from their breathing and slight trembling.

“…Presha, please hold back. If this magician is trying to deceive us, with the current me, I can perceive that already.”

Astina-denka says as a matter-of-fact but those words were cold―like an ice blade. As a General who leads an army, Her Highness feels guilty for losing many knights. She might be thinking that killing Noin here will be a reward for the dead knights.

I think so too.

Why did she have to betray the Kingdom and help Zirconia in invading? Without Noin, the knights would not have died.

“I feel magical power from the Princess… did you teach her magic…?”

“I can’t answer that question now. You and I were in different class, there was no particular contact points either… It’s just that we were in the same Academy, that’s all. Though for what you have done, I can’t just leave you alone. Since you betrayed the Kingdom, you should pay for your sins.”

Noin did not speak and just listened to me. Then she moved ―she dropped the dagger in her hand and put both her hands up.

“…At that time, I had no choice but to do that. If it sounds like an excuse, I don’t mind being killed by your blades here.”

“Tsk! ….For someone who betrayed the kingdom, you sure know how to talk!”

In response to Presha-san’s fierce anger, Noin turns away as if she could not stand it. Without a moment of delay, Astina-denka puts her hand on the sword and faces Noin. In front of the two strong women, Noin had to be careful on moving even one fingertip.

“…Your treatment is to be decided by Her Highness. I can’t sympathize with your situation though. Even if you were ordered by someone you couldn’t oppose to sneak to Zirconia… you opted to cooperate with Zirconia or else your position will be compromised, right?”

“No matter what your circumstance is, it’s still a betrayal since you helped Zirconia.”

Presha-san said while suppressing her anger. She still seemed to think that she has to defeat Noin here. In front of such bloodlust, Noin closed her eyes ―her expression has the feeling of resignation.

“When somebody invaded this fort and I found out that it was a magician, I knew there was someone from Lezenia. I was originally called by this man… Baile, General Alejandro’s adjutant―”

“…Are you going to start making excuses?”

When asked by Presha-san, Nein laughs faintly and shook her head a little.

“Guu…!”

No one here would have imagined what happened the next moment. Noin covered her mouth and coughed up blood. Then I noticed―at the moment she tried to talk, part of her body had magical power that was not hers.

“No way… you were sent to Zirconia because you possess a 『Dark Spirit』…?”

“…It’s a funny story… To leave such record in the Academy, I was only looking at how much “they” could be used. I didn’t realize it at that time and when I finally realized it, I became a great enemy of my own Kingdom.”

After she finished saying that, Noin coughed blood again. A terrifying magical power can be felt from her chest―it’s different from a “spirit” that contracts with a magician to lend power, this “dark spirit” exists to curse and destroy human beings.

Dark spirits lives not in the spirit world but in another world, the dark spirit’s world. Currently, at Silvana Magic Academy, learning the magic circles for summoning dark spirits and spirit marks for them to dwell on humans are strictly forbidden. Books about the dark spirits are banned and were kept in the sealed library.

Sacred tree Yuserish is also cautious on the existence of the dark spirits as they are the enemy of all other spirits. She warns us that there is a being that is harmful to living creatures that resides in Noin’s body in front of us.

“…Because you don’t want to die, you sided with the enemy? If you think that it can’t be helped, I… I can’t forgive you after all.”

“When all of it is done, you are free to kill me. I’ll never run away… In the end I… I want to die the way I want. Alejandro, Baile too, for those who only saw me as a “woman” who listens to anything they say, I’ll let them know that I am not a tool!”

Who sent Noin to Zirconia?

 ―If there was someone who put a dark spirit in her who became a court magician…

Then the “Court Magician” that I longed for were no longer groups of men who served the Royal Family and used magic to protect the kingdom, but those who chose any means to achieve their purpose. This is translated by Yume Neiji. Please read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com

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