"......Impressive."
After confirming that Nina's sword flash had deeply cleaved through Archbishop Johan, Ermes murmured.
He probably wasn't dead. The Archbishop knew far too many things to be killed so easily, and considering what lay ahead, it would be more convenient not to kill him right now. Nina understood that much too.
But still—there was no doubt that he had suffered grievous wounds severe enough to make continuing combat impossible, wounds that threatened his very survival.
——In such a state, there was no way he could maintain the brainwashing.
"......Wh-what is this?"
"What's happening—what on earth is going on...!?"
Voices like that rang out across the battlefield.
They likely belonged to people who had been under the Archbishop's control through Bloodline Magic. Unsurprisingly, every one of them was a squad leader—someone with significant influence over their units—and the battlefield had suddenly descended into temporary chaos.
......This situation too, he had anticipated.
That was why he had entrusted Yurugen with a countermeasure. The plan was to have him request the soldiers of the Harvest territory to stand down, and to issue orders so that the ceasefire proposal would quickly spread across the entire battlefield.
Explaining the full situation from scratch would be difficult in the heat of the moment, so this was the best course of action. And indeed, the battlefield was already beginning to settle—bewilderment lingered, but things were moving toward resolution, gradually regaining their composure.
After that, with both sides having withdrawn, they would explain the full sequence of events to the Northern Federation, and the Northern Rebellion would be over.
Ermes's job would be done as well; from here, all he had to do was watch over things...... no——
"Ermes!"
Just as he'd finished that thought, a desperate voice reached him. Looking over, he saw Sara—who appeared to have regained consciousness—rushing toward him.
She knelt down beside Ermes, her expression on the verge of tears.
"You're badly hurt... I'm sorry, it's because of me...!"
"......Ah. No, I'm fine. If anything, I'm the one who should apologize for all sorts of things......"
Right. Even if it was unavoidable from a tactical standpoint, he hadn't told Sarah about breaking Nina's brainwashing. In other words, Sarah had genuinely tried to stop Nina and simply couldn't.
From his perspective—rude as it was—he had already factored in the possibility that she would lose. If anything, he should be grateful that she'd tried so earnestly to stop Nina, since that was what had ultimately fooled the Archbishop... But there was no way she wouldn't be troubled by it.
Her beauty twisted with grief as she poured everything into activating the—
Star Corolla
—to heal his wounds. Ermes agonized over how to explain things to her, yet still resolved that he would need to properly tell her the full story eventually.
"—I'm sorry, but that will have to wait too."
"......Huh?"
With those words, he gave the bewildered Sarah a slight bow and rose to his feet, his body recovered enough to move.
It was a bit rough, but it didn't matter. Because in the confrontation ahead, remaining seated would undoubtedly be a sign of disrespect. After all,
"......Impressive."
This was where Ermes directed his gaze.
Because the Northern Alliance Knights Commander, Lucius, stood watching them quietly with his sword still in hand.
...There were several questions he needed answered.
Lucius was a man who could be reasoned with. So Ermes proceeded to ask them in order.
First, the reason Lucius was here.
He had supposedly withdrawn his spear... yet he'd arrived far too quickly. Which meant there was only one possible conclusion.
"—You broke through Lady Katia, didn't you? ...How did you manage that?"
There was no other possibility.
And with a genuinely serious sense of curiosity about how Lucius had accomplished this in so short a time, Ermes posed the question. Lucius nodded, acknowledging the validity of the inquiry.
"Ah, the famed young lady of Traakia... She was every bit the formidable foe the rumors promised, and then some. Those Spiritual Entity familiars of hers are remarkable. She wouldn't let anyone near her easily, and each one far surpasses an ordinary Monster—but more than that... no matter how many you cut down, new ones keep sprouting up. As long as that 'connection' holds, I'd wager she can summon them over and over again."
Indeed, Katya's most troublesome trait when it came to the role of "stalling" was precisely that. The endless barrage of phantom soldiers she could mass-summon was not something even Lucius could break through easily—and Ermes tilted his head, wondering how on earth—
Lucius stated it plainly.
"—
So
I cut
right through
that
'connection'
and all—"
Severed
it
clean."
"………………What?"
Even Ermes, for a brief moment, found his mind going blank at the answer.
Seeing that, Lucius seemed to feel his explanation had been insufficient, and continued.
"In other words—I could see what connected the young lady to her Spiritual Entity familiars. Some kind of thought thread or magic power line... well, something along those lines. So I cut right through it, just like that."
"……No, I mean, um—"
"Ah, don't worry. It only temporarily prevents her from being able to summon them. And since that neutralized her, I didn't lay a single scratch on the young lady."
When Ermes looked where Lucius indicated, sure enough, Katya was sitting there unscathed but without a single phantom soldier in sight, her expression an equal mix of surprise and dissatisfaction.
He was relieved she wasn't hurt……no, more than that.
"Um, sorry, but I'm having trouble following what you're saying here... Thoughts? Magic power lines? I mean, they definitely exist, but... wait, can those actually be cut? How, specifically? Did you put some kind of special magic onto your strikes, or — no, but, um...?"
In a way, it was unusual.
When Ermes stood bewildered before a phenomenon far too alien for him, Lucius tilted his head with a troubled look.
"Ugh... even if you say that, I can't really explain it any further than... well, anyway!"
Puffing out his chest as if to brazen it off, he declared proudly.
"I sort of saw something, it felt like it could be cut, so I cut it! That's all there is to it — anything beyond that, I have no clue. Sorry about that!"
"............Haha."
And seeing him like that... Ermes couldn't help but laugh.
There was probably no mistake in what he was saying. He had truly, just as his words described, accomplished a remarkable feat without even understanding it himself.
That was — if you only looked at the results, identical to a Bloodline Magic user, but fundamentally different at its core.
Not something granted without effort like Bloodline Magic, but born from his own unrelenting training — the culmination of an inexpressible amount of exhaustive refinement.
Before
words
could even form,
by instinct alone,
he had already seized
the best possible move.
He had reached that realm — a monster.
"——"
Ermes was seized with terror.
Indeed — even now, this world still held so many things he did not know.
There were people who could obtain, in a single leap and without any reasoning, what he could only reach by building up logic brick by brick.
──So *this* was what people truly meant by a "genius."
"...In that case, I would very much like to analyze the principle behind it someday."
Ermes murmured those words with both exhilaration at the unknown and respect for the warrior before him.
Then he moved on to his next question.
"Lord Lucius. The brainwashing — it's been broken by now, hasn't it?"
"...Yes."
"Then—"
He posed what was, for the current Lucius, the most critical question of all.
"──Then why. Are you still holding your sword?"
"......"
Lucius, upon receiving that question, shed the vaguely relaxed manner he had maintained until now.
In a quiet voice — one tinged with unmistakable authority — he continued.
"...Yes. I understand everything. That I had fallen under the Grand Bishop's fangs, that the entire Northern Confederation was being manipulated through it... that the Northern Rebellion itself had been set in motion by it.
I have caused you all trouble that cannot be repaid. Especially... I will offer my wholehearted apology to my sister Nina afterward. Whatever punishment results from it, I will accept."
"......"
"──However."
Fully conscious of his own guilt, of his responsibility, Lucius pressed on.
"If you know how events unfolded, even I can understand. ...Your objective is to bring this entire Northern region under your control — even us — and acquire a fighting force capable of opposing the First Prince, isn't that right?"
"...Yes."
Hearing Ermes's response, Lucius raised his face once more.
"Then — please accept my proposal. A duel."
"!"
"The North is a meritocracy. Even abilities like mine that defy this country's common sense — if you're strong, you rise to the top. ...Conversely, you can never truly win the hearts of others by taking the lives of those weaker than you."
He spoke with unwavering reason and unshakable conviction.
"'I take responsibility for the Northern Rebellion and submit' — yes, that would be enough. ...But then, my subordinates would not be convinced in their hearts. They could never truly dedicate their swords to you.
I understand this is a selfish request. ...But please — grant us not a defeat by default through the collapse of an unfit ruler, but a ritual that allows us to become proud losers at the end of a hard-fought battle. ...Well, in other words—"
There, Lucius paused, a resolute gleam lighting his sharp features.
Pointing his sword forward... he declared in a single breath.
"——If you truly
wish to earn the Northern Alliance's
loyalty, then first—
defeat the strongest of the Alliance.
Defeat me."
"——"
"Only then will your wish come true. ...This is my selfishness."
To understand it correctly —
Not a defeat like the current situation, where the Northern Alliance would lose without even understanding what had happened.
But a duel as a ritual — to bring the Northern Rebellion to its proper end.
Otherwise, above all else, their own subordinates — the Northern Alliance — would never accept it.
Having given voice to those sentiments, and having fully understood his own selfishness in doing so—
Yet Lucius still desired an opportunity to demonstrate his strength, in order to win over his subordinates' understanding. He declared that he would bear all the blame for his selfishness, shouldering it entirely as his own indulgence.
"......"
...When he came to—
Every eye on the battlefield had turned toward them. Every member of the Northern Alliance was looking at Lucius.
It must have been an incomprehensible situation for them... but they must have understood all the same. That Lucius and Ermes, facing each other, represented the final decisive battle of this Northern Rebellion.
To make them understand that — he needed the personal charisma, the track record, and the strength to pull it off. And Lucius had certainly built all of that up, year after year.
That was Lucius von Frodaite.
One who rightfully stood above others, and bore the feelings of those people upon his shoulders.
——Once again, Ermes trembled at that way of being.
Lucius softened his demeanor once more, and said:
"...If I may add one more thing."
"?"
"For my part, I've been looking forward to a rematch with you. In that sense, too, this is 'selfishness.' — And besides, so have you."
And with a grin that was somehow mischievous — far more childlike than his age would suggest, yet strangely fitting, like a little troublemaker's—
"——
You want
revenge
on me
"It's written all over your face, you know?"
"!"
"Then won't you accept with your pride on the line? You must have something prepared, right? I'd very much like to see that as well!"
...And so, Ermes understood once more.
This young man had grasped not only the feelings of his own subordinates, but even Ermes's own feelings as well.
As a kind of apology. Without flinching from his own responsibility or his own sins—he had arranged this occasion for them.
"...Haha."
Once again, smiles spilled over.
Because—it was all bull's-eyes.
Up until now there hadn't been room for any of it, but the truth was—
At the very start of this northern rebellion, the bitter frustration of being utterly helpless against Lucius and suffering defeat.
The wish to someday have a rematch.
When the operation against the Archbishop had ended in failure... but in truth, there was also the magic he had developed with "anti-Lucius" specifically in mind—all of it.
...Finally, he glanced behind him.
There, his companions had assembled in full force. Katia, Sarah, Yurugen, Albert... and a little further off, Nina as well.
And lastly, Liliana, representing those who likewise stood in positions of leadership.
"—I leave it to you, Master."
She nodded quietly, her expression one of complete and unwavering trust.
"...Thank you."
To all of them.
More than anything else... to Lucius. With heartfelt respect for the extraordinary individual whom Nina admired and who possessed the qualities befitting a hero of the North, Ermes declared.
"I accept. I ask for a rematch. ...Let us prove through victory that we — that Lady Lily and her companions — are beings worthy of standing above you."
"Wonderful. — Ah, of course I'll be going all out, you know? Give it your best if you think you can."
At the same time, both of them released their magic power.
The overwhelming pressure convinced everyone around them that a fierce battle was about to unfold.
The final clash was about to begin.
The Northern Rebellion arc — the final battle begins. I hope you'll enjoy it all the way to the end!
From here, two major announcements...!
First — the cover for Volume 1 of "The Reproducer of Creation Magic" has been revealed!
It turned out wonderfully. I've posted it on my activity report, so please take a look!
Second.
Volume 1 of "The Reproducer of Creation Magic" goes on sale February 25th — and moreover!
Volume 2 will be released on March 25th...!
Two consecutive monthly releases! You'll be able to read Chapter 1 through the interlude all at once!
There are also plenty of additional edits and bonuses included...!
Details, including images, are available on my activity report.
I plan to continue making announcements about bonuses and more if I can,
so I'd be grateful if you'd look forward to further announcements!
Once again — Volume 1 of "The Reproducer of Creation Magic" releases on February 25th.
I'd be truly happy if you'd consider picking up a copy!
So going forward, I hope you'll continue to enjoy "The Reproducer of Creation Magic"!
[If you'd be so kind, I have one more small request]
If you've found the story interesting, curious about what happens next, or simply want to show your support, please consider giving a rating using the stars below or adding the novel to your bookmarks!
Ratings in particular make a huge difference. If you could spare just a single click to help out, I'd be incredibly grateful…!!