Just because the Head of House of the Marx Family became a heretic doesn’t mean war breaks out immediately.
Because Alan Marx was fiercely opposing it. One might wonder if the youngest has the influence to block the Head of House, but Alan truly held powerful influence.
The Marx Family is a meritocracy even more extreme than Battenberg.
Even the elders of the Marx Family were completely enamored with Alan’s talent, and the Spirit who were with us in this Plague War also did not want war.
“Laughably, the only ones truly siding with the Head of House are his blood relatives other than Alan and their faction.”
Of course, it was a public opinion that the Head of House could definitely overturn if he set his mind to it. Therefore, we had to hurry to execute the plan properly.
“We’re going to the Ancient Ruins of the Harun Duchy.”
We continued heading south, further south.
Then, we turned east along the border of the Harun Duchy. We were moving while avoiding the eyes of others as much as possible.
“Why are we suddenly going to the Ancient Ruins?”
“Why else? To stop the war.”
If I obtain the Artificial Heart, it will be easier to blend in among the mages. I was definitely not acting for my own selfish interests alone. Right. Of course not.
“…”
There is an Ancient Ruins on the outskirts of the Harun Duchy.
Originally, one might easily think that Ancient Ruins hide treasures worth a thousand gold and rare artifacts. But the place we were heading to was a different story.
An empty Ancient Ruins where nothing has been uncovered. Countless mages had visited for decades, but they gained nothing; it’s truly a penniless Ancient Ruins.
“Is it here?”
“Yes.”
We passed over a dozen massive pillars and entered the entrance of the structure. Then, a desolate corridor unfolded before our eyes. Torches hanging on the walls clearly showed the traces left by many people.
“Hmm…”
“No matter how I look at it, it doesn’t seem like anything is hidden.”
Aaron and Moritz looked at me with doubtful eyes. I closed my eyes and spread my senses wide. As expected. Nothing was caught in my senses.
“This is the tomb of the one called the Magic King.”
“Magic King…? I’ve never heard of such a name.”
Of course. Because the Magic King is an ancient existence from long ago. We moved forward. Then, we faced a dead end.
“Try piercing this wall with all your strength.”
I glanced at Aaron. A purple aura swirled around his lance. Having received the order, no more doubt could be seen on his expression. His heavily muscled arm thrust the lance.
Thump –
Reaching a high level, Aaron’s lance strike rang out with a dull noise. The party was greatly flustered. They naturally thought a hole would be pierced in the wall or it would collapse. It was an incredibly lackluster result.
“It’s a Barrier.”
A Barrier so secretive that even the Elite, masters of magic, couldn’t notice it. The real Ancient Ruins were behind it.
Phew –
Aaron took a deep breath. It was the gaze of someone who clearly knew what they had to do.
“I’m counting on you, Aaron.”
“Leave it to me.”
His aura surged violently. A ripple arose with a single lance strike. The wall twisted with ten lance strikes. After repeating it dozens of times, a small hole was pierced.
Crunch!
Putting down his lance, Aaron shoved both hands into the hole. Then he pulled his arms apart with all his might. Finally, the Magic King’s Barrier couldn’t withstand the knight’s brute force and gaped open.
“As expected, he’s a lucky charm.”
The Lance Ghost, called the natural enemy of mages. The fact that his power also worked against an ancient powerhouse was proven.
“…”
We squeezed into the hidden Ancient Ruins. The Barrier Aaron barely managed to pierce closed again before long.
“What an excessively troublesome Barrier. It even self-repairs.”
“Because it’s the Magic King’s ruin.”
Moving slowly forward, I looked around. Murals were drawn on the corridor that had been desolate and empty. I took them in one by one while moving forward. Then I saw a rather interesting painting.
“Dad, this…”
“Yes.”
Countless humans lying prostrate on the ground. One human holding a staff in front of them. And at the very top, a giant eye looking down upon them from the sky. That eye was none other than me, ‘Hor’. To think such a painting would remain.
“I thought I had completely disappeared from history.”
Both the Holy Sword of the White Anvil Tribe and the murals of this Ancient Ruins. A handful of traces remained and appeared before me like this.
“The Magic King was an existence from before the Holy Demon War broke out.”
This was a valuable discovery. While looking closely at the mural, a sound echoed from beyond the corridor.
“Prepare for battle.”
What appeared through the darkness of the corridor was a Golem similar to the Magic Armor Soldiers we usually saw. The Magic Armor Soldiers can be called the products of the South Continent’s magical civilization; those things are the ancestors of those Magic Armor Soldiers.
“It’ll be perfect for testing our new equipment.”
“Indeed.”
The knights grinned and raised their blades. I also drew ‘Bad Bond’.
Thump! Boom!
The ten Golems were silent. They just lunged at us, scattering red light from their eyes.
Crash-!
They were definitely Golems made thousands of years ago, but no creaking could be found in their movements. Even while exchanging blows with them, I didn’t stop thinking.
“The Marx Family’s Magic Armor Soldiers aren’t even at this level. That’s for sure.”
Even the Marx Family, which gained the greatest influence since sitting on the throne of the South Continent, could not surpass the Magic King’s byproduct. It was a fact I already knew, but encountering it in person made the surprise even greater.
“Of course, they’re just mass-produced models.”
Crunch-!
The Golem’s head flew into the air. One at first, then three.
Phew…
While catching my breath with my sword lowered, the surroundings had become quiet at some point.
“Wow, you’ve already knocked them all down?”
“It was easy.”
It was Aaron’s answer, sounding somewhat prideful.
“The Barrier was unusual from the start, and the Golems aren’t ordinary either.”
“…Be grateful that the Marx Family doesn’t know about this place.”
In the future I knew, this place is eventually uncovered by Alan’s hand. Naturally, that occupied a part of the reason why the South Continent could bring about the downfall of the North Continent.
“…”
Time passed quickly after entering the ruin. After smashing many traps and Golems, we ended up clicking our tongues in amazement.
“Just how many of those precious Magic Armor Soldiers are there?”
“For mages, these might be the most precious treasures.”
Listening to Moritz and Gide’s chatter, I unconsciously nodded. But now was not the time for idle talk.
“Don’t let your guard down.”
At the end of the long corridor, a massive iron door came into view. The painting carved on the iron door was somewhat familiar. The mural seen at the entrance of the ruin was definitely drawn there.
“The Magic King was a fervent believer of mine.”
With that thought, I placed my hand on the iron door. As I pushed it open with force, the interior was revealed along with a heavy noise. A giant cavity, and in its center, a massive Golem crouching. Soon, it raised its head.
“We’ll go the same way we handled Kalgos.”
I spat out words of warning and kicked off the ground. A giant sword filled my vision. The battle with Kalgos came to mind. It’s funny. Why are there so many days when I face a greatsword?
Clang-!
I clashed Bad Bond against the giant sword. While I was blocking it, the party launched a full-scale offensive. The battle was longer and more intense than expected. The thick armor surrounding its body even blocked aura. But we were an elite group including three master-class powerhouses, a natural-born assassin, and even the World Tree and Elves.
“…”
Rumble-!
The fallen Golem, kicking up a cloud of dust, was in a truly wretched state.
“It’s the end.”
I waved my hand to clear the dust. The faces of the party revealed in between were soaked in fatigue.
“Good work, everyone.”
Commending the party for their hard work, I turned my gaze. In the Golem’s mangled chest, a crystal bead was sparkling.
That is the very reason I made this place my destination. The most valuable of the artifacts created by the Magic King.
As I pulled out that bead, the Golem’s giant body turned to dust and scattered. I quietly looked down at the bead.
This is an organ that can accumulate Mana and manipulate Mana. In other words, it means a single, independent heart.
“The Magic King succeeded in creating a perfect heart in his later years.”
A man who wanted to walk the path of a magic swordsman. But by the time he created this bead, there was no more time left for him.
The aged Magic King only consoled his empty heart by creating a Golem modeled after a knight.
“I’ll fulfill that dream for you.”
I brought the bead to my chest. Then, a System window popped up.
[Absorbing Artificial Heart.]
The bead touching my chest slowly flowed into my body. I swallowed hard. I don’t know in detail what happens if I absorb an Artificial Heart either.
Alan, the only discoverer, had used it as a power source for Magic Armor Soldiers just like the Magic King.
[A Mana Heart is already situated in the target’s heart.]
Is it a warning message? The System window that suddenly appeared flashed rapidly. My body began to heat up little by little. It wasn’t something like excitement. The energy inherent in the bead was running wild inside my body. I covered my mouth at the surging nausea.
“Richard…”
“S-Saint? What’s wrong?”
I held back those who were startled and trying to approach, and slowly maintained my breathing. I shouldn’t be swept away by the bead’s energy here. My body might explode and die.
“Ha, I can see why the Magic King didn’t even attempt it.”
If he had done such a thing with his body, he would have died instantly. But I was still at a young and vibrant age. I clenched my teeth and coordinated the energy inside my body.
“A human’s heart is originally one.”
Whether it’s a knight’s heart or a mage’s heart. The reason why a magic swordsman doesn’t exist in this world is because there is only one heart.
And only one color can be applied to a single heart. What I’m trying to do now was identical to trying to make the impossible possible.
Ugh!
The hand covering my mouth convulsed. I was in a state where I couldn’t even easily manage my faith due to the energy boiling inside. It was then.
『Kuhu,』
『If you were going to die like this, why did you hold on so desperately?』
An unsightly fellow appeared on the blade of ‘Bad Bond’.