Chapter 139 – Mage of a Certain Country (5)

-Emperors Kingdom’s High Mage’s POV-

I felt a sense of unease when I saw the list of mages to be included in the investigation team of the ancient ruins.

They are all bottom rankers who had just become mages.

I could find out why until I saw the face of the 1st knight order commander who had brought the documents.

When I saw his face, I said nothing and signed to give my consent.

Something is about to happen and I have no right to stop it.

 

The chief mage and the other two high rank mages are probably aware of it.

However, upon seeing off the mages who had been chosen for the investigation team quietly…

Tears spilled down my face. I realized that I was able to protect their lives.

 

The investigation of the magic stone did not proceed at all.

Everyone’s faces look bitter.

「Perhaps it is time for the tide to change…」

That’s what the chief mage said.

I exhaled heavily as I felt power come out of my shoulder.

I know what he was trying to say.

However, I still feel sorry for my life.

When I think about the future, my body trembles with fear.

 

The king will never forgive us.

 

Suddenly, light dyes the room pure white.

I close my eyes tightly but it’s not enough, I have to cover my eyes with my arms.

Even so, I still feel blinded.

 

I wonder how much time passed by.

Gradually, the light began to subside.

At that time, I heard a crashing sound in the room.

My whole body stiffened as I thought it was some kind of attack but nothing particularly happened.

The room was quiet.

 

I opened my eyelids and blinked several times.

Finally, the discomfort in my eyes disappeared.

 

I was relieved until I heard my subordinate screaming inside the room.

I turned my gaze to my subordinate but he was pale and trembling.

I looked in the direction my subordinate was looking at and saw the magic stone.

 

…the magic stone broke into two.

 

It seems that the time has finally come.

Suddenly, my body weight increased.

….I see, I see.

 

I looked at where the chief mage was sitting.

I slowly approach him.

When our gazes met, he looked surprised but quickly nodded in agreement.

The two high-rank mages also seemed to have quietly accepted the incident.

I went next to the chief mage and he squeezed my hand.

There’s no strength in it though.

 

I bowed quietly to the three of them and slowly headed out of the room.

 

I tried to leave the room but it was locked.

I knock on the door but I don’t feel any presence.

I broke the lock with magic and opened the door but wasn’t able to find anyone.

They must have been afraid of the light and ran away.

….I feel lucky since it is impossible for me to beat them now.

 

—Scene Change—

 

I made it to the door of the king’s chamber without anyone getting in the way.

It was good for me but I can’t help but laugh.

In this situation, no one even tried to protect the king.

 

I knocked on the door a few times. No one was answering so I opened the door and stepped inside.

The room is large, as expected of the king’s bedroom, but it is currently in a mess.

I saw the princess, the king’s daughter, in the room.

Looking at her face, I knew that she was already dead.

 

I saw the king sitting nearby.

 

I’ve always been scared, no, terrified by him.

But now, I feel nothing.

As I tried to approach the king, I heard the door behind me open.

 

I looked in that direction and saw the commander and vice commander of the 1st knight order.

The commander of the 4th knight order is also with them.

All of them are holding swords.

They won’t use them to protect the king…right?

 

When their gazes met mine, all three of them stopped moving in surprise.

I chuckled.

I wonder how ugly I’ve become.

「A high mage….」

They may be skeptical but they seemed to have judged who I am given my outfit.

「The magic stone has completely broken in two and this is the result.」

「The result?」

「We, the king included, used the magic stone to slow down our aging process.」

In order to prolong the king’s life, we searched for a way to stop the aging process using the magic stone.

However, we could not find a way to do so and time passed in vain.

What we managed to accomplish was a way to slow down aging.

The king was not convinced but decided that it would at least buy some time.

After confirming the success, given how we, four mages, succeeded, the king slowed down his aging process too.

 

The condition of delaying aging is to constantly cast regeneration magic through the power of the magic stone.

When the magic stone cracked, the supply stopped.

In other words, the aging that had been slowed down began to progress.

Even so, I had thought that aging would proceed slowly.

However….

「….our age seemed to have returned all at once.」

He didn’t realize it until he heard his own voice.

When he tried to put his hand on his mouth, his movement stopped when his wrinkled hand of bones and skins came into view.

「I am the king…the only person….god….appointed….to be….the king…of this world.」

I could faintly hear other voices in the room.

When I stared at the king, I could see that his face was already wrinkled and his eyes were even showing a strange light.

 

…I wonder if I look like that too…I wonder if I look like a monster too.

No, I am a monster myself.

 

My breathing became painful and I collapsed on the spot.

My whole body is screaming but all I can hear is the sound of heavy breathing coming from my mouth.

I can hear the sound of the bones cracking inside my body.

I managed to lift my arm up but before I managed to put it on my neck, my arm fell slumped down.

 

My consciousness quickly faded away.