Water Magician

Chapter 0524 Mifa’s Fierce Battle

Translator: Jay_Forestieri

Editor:

Shortly before the attack on Princess Shio Fen’s detached palace, Sue Ku’s party arrived at Duke Kang’s residence.

A fully armed group of over two hundred men.

Yet, the gates of Duke Kang’s residence opened before them, and the entire group was ushered inside.

Naturally, Sue Ku suspected a trap.

“”

This wind-attribute magic detects talismans and charms set within a certain range.

It was developed during the previous dynasty of Darwei and is also used by a few individuals in the Bosuntar Kingdom, including Sue Ku.

Talismans are inherently well-suited for concealment, making them difficult to detect even with , unless one is a highly skilled magician.

However, Sue Ku was a seasoned mage.

“Only attack-reflecting talismans on the outer walls. No magic-sealing ones. What’s going on here…?”

Accepting over two hundred fully armed soldiers without magic or sorcery traps?

“Although unpopular these days… ”

A wind-attribute magic that, for example, detects hidden ambushes…

“As I thought, no ambushes either.”

Indeed, that was expected.

Unlike talismans, ambushes can be sensed by presence.

For someone like Sue Ku, who had survived countless brushes with death, detecting such things was second nature.

Yet even for the experienced Sue Ku, the situation at Duke Kang’s residence was baffling.

“In the end, meeting directly is the best way to understand.”

Sue Ku, accompanied by close aides, was escorted to Duke Kang.

The servants, surprisingly deferential, guided them.

“Sue Ku, welcome.”

Duke Kang’s first words as he greeted them.

Completely ordinary.

Despite the near state of war, completely ordinary.

And that was precisely what was abnormal.

As a magician, Sue Ku immediately sensed something was off about Duke Kang.

(What is this…? The flow of Duke Kang’s magic is strange…his internal magic power is severely depleted, and there’s an external source of magic power flowing in? I’ve never seen a flow like this before…)

“I apologize for the unfortunate misunderstanding the other day.”

Duke Kang bowed in apology before Sue Ku.

He was apologizing, but…

(Looking closely, even his expression lacks vitality. Duke Kang, known for his strong, forceful personality, appears completely subdued.)

Sue Ku lowered her head in response.

“No, your words are too gracious.”

Lowering her head broke Duke Kang’s line of sight.

With her eyes closed, Sue Ku muttered softly.

“”

He had used the spell outside the mansion gates earlier.

There had been no talismans related to traps outside, but…

(Found it!　Beneath Duke Kang’s chair? Moreover, there’s a flow of magic power from the talisman to him. Could such a talisman even exist?)

Sue Ku raised her head.

While maintaining a neutral expression, her thoughts raced.

(A flow of magic power from a talisman to a person…if the individual isn’t a sorcerer, they’d fall under the talisman’s control… Could it be controlling Duke Kang?! )

A certain ancient sorcery came to Sue Ku’s mind.

(Puppet…)

A very old sorcery.

A very old sorcery, said to originate from the floating continent or the ancient city of Babylon.

Known for its ancient roots, only one method of dispelling it has ever been discovered.

The caster of the sorcery must be killed.

(No, it’s not confirmed to be a puppet spell yet. I need to verify…but that would require undressing him…)

Sue Ku sighed deeply in her heart.

The puppet spell inscribes a distinctive magic circle over the target’s chest, near the heart.

Confirming it would reveal the spell’s presence…

However, examining someone of Duke Kang’s stature was far from straightforward.

(There’s no choice.)

Looking directly at Duke Kang, Sue Ku spoke.

“Duke Kang, I have a private matter to discuss. I’d like to speak alone with you—please dismiss the others.”

“Very well.”

Duke Kang agreed without changing his expression or tone.

Further convincing Sue Ku that the odds of him being under the puppet spell were over 80%.

The Duke’s behavior was far too different from the man Sue Ku knew.

Once everyone had left and moved a safe distance away, Sue Ku cast another spell.

“”

Duke Kang instantly fell into a slumber.

Sue Ku loosened the Duke’s clothing to reveal his chest.

There it was…

“A star-shaped magic circle. A puppet spell, as I thought…”

Sue Ku sighed deeply.

And shook her head slightly.

Her late sister’s husband.

Though their methods and philosophies differed.

But still…

“He doesn’t deserve such a fate.”

Sue Ku muttered, a single tear slipping from her lowered face.

The puppet spell could only be broken by killing its caster.

Likely Dezai—a rumored sorcerer.

“I hope Dezai is somewhere in this mansion…”

Wiping her tears, Sue Ku lifted her head resolutely.

The path forward was clear.

“Someone, come here! ”

“Yes,　ma’am!”

At Sue Ku’s call, a subordinate entered swiftly.

“Find Dezai immediately!　Inform everyone in the mansion that this is by Duke Kang’s order. If anyone obstructs the search, you may cut them down.”

“Understood! ”

The subordinates dispersed quickly.

“My apologies, Duke Kang. I’ve used your name without permission.”

Of course, the sleeping Duke offered no response.

Meanwhile, in Princess Shio Fen’s detached palace.

The princess had relocated to the largest, innermost audience chamber, protected by guards.

Among them were twenty elite royal guards under her direct command.

And Mifa.

“Shio-sama, please bear with it for a little longer.”

“I’m fine, Mifa.”

Princess Shio Fen replied with a smile to Mifa’s words.

At that moment, commotion arose outside the chamber doors.

The sounds of clashing swords reached even inside the audience chamber.

Along with angry shouts.

Naturally, the twenty members of the Princess’s Guard and Mifa readied their swords.

“There’s an entrance to one of the underground passageways just next to the audience chamber. It seems they entered from there.”

The calmest among them was, ironically, Shio Fen, whose life was being targeted.

“Even though It’s sealed with alchemic locks…”

“Nothing done by humans is ever perfect.”

Princess Shio Fen responded with a wry smile to Mifa’s words.

The difference lay in their levels of resolve.

Before long, the chamber doors were broken down.

A single man entered.

“It seems this is the correct place.”

He said with a sly smile, holding a black longsword. He had jet-black hair cut to his shoulders, dark eyes, and a tall frame.

“No way…”

“This can’t be! ”

“Why…Why is it you….?”

Voices of shock and disbelief arose from the Princess’s Guard.

Mifa didn’t know who the black-sworded man was.

But his overwhelming presence threatened to crush her.

“Lord Vogue, it has been a while, hasn’t it?”

“As expected of you, Your Highness. Even in this situation, you don’t scream or cry—your composure is truly admirable. I’ve always believed you should be this country’s queen.”

“That’s nonsense.”

Princess Shio Fen calmly brushed off the man’s words.

But the mention of ‘Lord Vogue’ was enough for Mifa to realize who the man with the black sword was.

“The current ‘Sword of the Nation’…”

Vogue must have heard Mifa’s murmur.

He chuckled as he replied.

“Ahaha, correct, little girl. And you are…whoa.”

Before he could finish, the Princess’s Guard attacked.

“I was still talking.”

Vogue muttered with a scowl, effortlessly evading their assault.

Not only did he dodge, but he also countered precisely, taking down the Princess’s Guard one by one.

Even to Mifa’s eyes, his strength was overwhelming.

“Too strong…”

In just two minutes, Vogue had slain all twenty members of the Princess’s Guard.

“Your Elite Guard seems to lack proper training.”

He said with a laugh.

“You are simply too strong, Lord Vogue.”

“Ah, you flatter me. I am deeply honored.”

Princess Shio Fen said, and Lord Vogue replied, bowing with exaggerated courtesy.

“You certainly have the confidence to come alone, and the strength to back it up.”

“No, that’s a misunderstanding. The alchemic locks sealing the underground passage is of the highest-grade and only allows one person to bypass it. That’s why I came alone.”

As Vogue spoke, he began to walk forward.

“And now, I shall claim Your Highness’s life…”

“Not yet! ”

Mifa stepped in front of him.

Vogue narrowed his eyes.

“Little girl, you cannot win.”

He dropped the mocking smile and said seriously.

“Even so, I will not yield.”

Mifa stood firmly, sword raised in front of Shio Fen.

“Mifa, it’s futile. Step aside.”

“I will not! ”

Shio Fen spoke softly.

But Mifa replied resolutely as she stood her ground.

“Little girl, you seem more to have more backbone than those elite guard. Perhaps, if you live, you might reach my level someday.”

“Offering Shio-sama’s life to save my own—what value would that have?! ”

“Good grief. Then die.”

Vogue’s strike was genuine.

There was no mistaking it—a serious, deadly blow.

And yet…

“You deflected that?”

Vogue exclaimed in surprise.

He knew Mifa was using a one-handed sword.

He planned to strike down both her sword and her shoulder with a single blow.

But Mifa perfectly aligned her sword with his strike, redirecting its force.

The concept wasn’t difficult.

But against a strike so fast it was nearly invisible, raising her sword to deflect it demanded immense courage.

Any mistake would mean death.

The Princess’s Guard had attempted the same but failed.

Each one falling.

Vogue leaped backward, creating distance.

Mifa didn’t pursue.

Her strategy was simple.

Buy time.

Buy time until her master, Abel, returned.

If her opponent kept his distance and time passed, that would be ideal.

And if he initiated conversation, even better…

“Little girl, tell me your name.”

“Mifa.”

She replied tersely.

She knew a longer response would buy more time…

But she didn’t have the luxury to think that far ahead.

“Hmm…Mifa. I remember now. You’re Mogok’s daughter, the maid who’s to accompany the princess to Darwei.”

“Yes.”

Even as they conversed, Mifa remained on high alert.

She had barely managed to deflect his last strike, but it had been close.

She wasn’t confident she could react to his incredibly fast strikes…

“Even so, it’s a shame. At your age, no one in all of Bosuntar could deflect my strike like that. Seriously, with time, you could reach my level. So, what do you say, will you sheath your sword?”

“If you…Lord Vogue, sheath your sword and leave this palace, I will immediately.”

“That’s impossible. I have a promise to fulfill: to kill the princess.”

“…A promise?”

Mifa muttered, puzzled by Lord Vogue’s words.

“Oops, I’ve said too much. If you’re determined to protect the princess, then I’ll say no more. Die here.”

“I won’t die! ”

Vogue charged forward like a black gale, swiftly closing the distance in an instant.

Thrust, thrust, thrust, and a sweeping slash.

Mifa dodged, parried, dodged again, and deflected the sweeping slash downward.

Her defense was flawless.

Normally, after deflecting downward, she should have immediately followed up with an upward slash, but Mifa didn’t have the luxury to do so.

Though she parried all of Vogue’s attacks, she couldn’t even manage a counterattack to keep him in check.

The difference in their abilities was undeniable.

(I knew that from the beginning! )

She would not lower her head now.

She would not kneel now.

She would not…despair now!

She would protect Shio-sama.

For that reason alone, Mifa stood her ground.

That resolve was not lost on Vogue, who stood before her.

“How amusing. No, this is far too entertaining. To think that someone as small as you could hold me back.”

Vogue said with a laugh.

But then, as if remembering something, his expression briefly turned serious.

“No, it’s foolish to judge by age or gender. I remember a time when I killed someone who mocked me as a brat. Dangerous thinking, dangerous indeed.”

“You can afford to let your guard down you know.”

“Hah! Even at your age, you’re playing mind games?”

Vogue grinned as he responded to Mifa’s words.

Mifa meant what she said from the bottom of her heart.

If Vogue let his guard down, it would buy her more time.

And there was even the faintest chance she could find an opening for a counterattack.

Opportunities could arise from the most unexpected places.

Again and again.

Mifa deflected Vogue’s relentless attacks.

However, small cuts began to accumulate on her body.

(Is his sword getting faster? No, my responses are getting slower.)

Mifa understood why the number of cuts was increasing.

Her right arm was starting to go numb—just a little, but enough to make a difference.

She was deflecting perfectly.

That was true.

Vogue’s strikes were diverted in directions far from their original intent upon impact with her sword.

But every deflection required her blade to meet his.

Even for an instant, and even though most of the force was diverted, the strain on her arm was not zero.

That accumulated strain had manifested as numbness in her arm.

Mifa wielded a one-handed sword.

And being right-handed, she used her right hand to hold it.

Though she had trained in techniques to fight with a dagger in her left hand…

Against someone like Vogue, she couldn’t manage to focus on using her left hand as well.

Mifa had understood that before the battle began and had already dismissed the idea of relying on her left hand.

(Still…I can still fight! )

It was a confirmation of her resolve.

She was acutely aware of the overwhelming gap in their abilities.

She understood the strain on her arm.

But even so!

She could still fight!

However, the breaking point came suddenly.

Clang!

“Ah!”

A sharp sound rang out as Mifa’s sword was knocked away.

Vogue had noticed the numbness in her arm and targeted her weapon itself.

Just like in her first sparring match with Abel…

“Not yet! ”

She lunged forward, brandishing a dagger in her left hand.

“Too naive! ”

Vogue deflected the thrust of her dagger with his black sword held in one hand and stepped in closer.

He struck her abdomen with his free left fist.

“Ugh!”

Mifa staggered back and collapsed.

With a single blow, her ability to fight was taken away.

“You weren’t bad. I don’t hate that final act of defiance. But…”

Vogue spoke as he walked toward her leisurely.

“You were just a bit too early to face me. Don’t worry. I’ll kill the princess right after you, so you can meet her in the afterlife.”

Though she couldn’t stand, Mifa glared at Vogue with all her might.

If looks could kill, she would have slain him on the spot.

But reality was not so forgiving.

Vogue raised his sword.

Even in that moment, Mifa continued to glare at him.

“Die.”

Just as Vogue was about to bring his sword down…he sensed something and turned around.

He intercepted a flying sword without hesitation.

Then, a red light surged in through the doorway.

Clang!

A man wielding a glowing crimson magic sword clashed with Vogue.

“Mifa, you held out well.”

“Master…”

“Leave the rest to me.”

The man, Abel, who had burst into the scene, nodded to her.