Genius 20

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Chapter 20. Distortion In The Capital

Monsters appeared.

Upon hearing the news, participants hurriedly exited the venue.

They immediately found it. It's a giant hawk monster rampaging among the felled trees in a corner of the venue's garden,

It was roughly three times a person's size, its head visible even in the forest.

"A wyvern...! Could it be a pseudo-dragon species? Why would such a creature be here!?"

"What were the guards even doing!"

While the first question remained unanswered, the answer to the second was clear.

"Ugh..."

"W-why..."

The wyvern flew around, unleashing blasts of wind. At its feet lay numerous guards, incapacitated.

Perhaps they couldn't respond adequately due to the sudden appearance of an unexpected monster.

The nobles were torn between panic and self-defense and faced with an unforeseen disaster.

But... if one were a noble, there would be a priority task.

"Herm!"

"Yes."

It's subjugating the monster.

Ignoring other nobles, Katia and Hermes moved to confront it, but someone acted faster.

"Fear not, noble ones!"

Prince Aster spoke at the perfect moment, as if he had foreseen this turn of events, and rushed towards the monster.

He immediately addressed the girl running beside him.

"Sara, use your magic to heal the guards!"

"...Yes."

Upon hearing his command, Sara headed towards the fallen guards in a straight line, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and chanted.

"'Angel's hands guide the skies, Crowns of flowers under human protection, Deep love fills the earth' Blood Magic... [Ars Paulina]!"

Instantly, a deep blue light filled the surroundings.

Each beam was absorbed into the guards' bodies, and they started to rise, their wounds miraculously healed.

"This... heals wounds."

"Hey, I can move! It's healing light!"

The soldiers who had been down suddenly stood up, checking their bodies, now fully healed.

"R-run, please!"

"Next! Hold it back!"

"Y-yes!"

As Sara requested the soldiers to retreat, Aster commanded them to restrain the monster.

However, Sara's bloodline magic was clearly healing. So, why restrain it? The question was answered in the next moment.

"'Eternal wishes reach the heavens, Celestial desires cast shadows over all, Building a pure world'..."

Everyone, including Hermes, was shocked, their eyes wide open as they heard the unfamiliar incantation.

What Sara chanted was undoubtedly a different spell than before. Its meaning became clear.

"Bloodline Magic... [Theur Gy]...!"

The second Bloodline Magic.

As the wyvern lunged towards Aster, a lattice-like light appeared before it, blocking its path.

Despite the wyvern's struggles, the barrier held strong, clearly a bloodline magic defense.

There were no signs of special effects like Hermes's magic. If so, there was only one answer.

"...Impressive. Dual affinity?"

Dual affinity refers to individuals proficient in two bloodline magics.

Normally, one person had one Bloodline Magic. Even in families with multiple hereditary magics, only one was chosen as their own bloodline magic.

An exception to this rule was dual affinity, a talent seen once in several generations, just like Hermes without any affinity.

Indeed, she possessed exceptional magical talent. There was no doubt about that.

And then.

"Well done, Sara. Leave the rest to me."

A satisfied Aster took a breath before the wyvern, focusing on dismantling [Theur Gy].

"Oh, we get to see Prince Aster's magic!"

"What a splendid day! We must engrave it in our memories!"

Nobles began cheering. Aster, in response, began his incantation with a melodious voice.

"'Radiant celestial judgment, My flaming ring judges the heavens and earth with seven lights' Bloodline Magic... [Ahura Mazda]!"

The incarnation of the sun manifested.

Its heat was intense enough to feel like it could burn just by looking at it. The surrounding air melted with the shimmering flames.

At its center stood a crimson figure, radiant like its glowing eyes, exuding an imposing presence.

"Foolish monster, know that appearing before me marks your end."

Dragon Breath Alter, a spell used by Hermes to defeat the armored dragon, was characterized by condensed high power.

But this heat surpassed even that, covering Aster's entire body. That intensity spoke volumes.

After sensing imminent danger, the wyvern abandoned its magic attack and tried to flee.

"Too slow."

Unrelenting, Aster released a portion of the engulfing flames toward the wyvern.

The divine flames effortlessly dispersed [Theur Gy], which had troubled the wyvern, and continued towards the creature.

"Gyaaahhhh!"

The wyvern screamed in agony as it crashed to the ground, defeated.

The surrounding nobles erupted in excitement, witnessing the decisive victory.

"A wyvern defeated in one blow!"

"This is Prince Aster's [Ahura Mazda]! Undoubtedly the strongest magic of our time!"

"Indeed, Prince Aster is the hero! He is fit to lead this country!"

Responding to the frenzy, Aster embraced Sara and proclaimed loudly:

"Behold! As long as I live, no monster shall threaten this land! And as my future wife who shares similar magical talents, Miss Sara von Hartmann, with her dual bloodline magic, I declare our engagement here!"

"Indeed, dual affinity magic users are worthy of Prince Aster!"

"Ah, both magics were splendid! Like a tale of a saint from a fairy tale, our country's future is secure!"

"Hail Hero Aster! Hail Saint Sara!"

Everything was absurd.

They were twisting facts to suit themselves, crafting a poorly conceived hero narrative where inconvenient truths about Aster got ignored, twisted interpretations were proclaimed as truth, and loudly declared as correct.

Katia bullying Sara or her powers being fake were impossible based on Sara's actions thus far.

Moreover, the sudden appearance of monsters was undoubtedly orchestrated. The timing was too perfect. Given the rumors of Bloodline Magic that could control monsters, the wyvern was likely manipulated.

Numerous suspicious points arose just from these considerations.

Yet, everything went unquestioned.

Aster believed in his righteousness without a shred of doubt.

Moreover, the surrounding nobles praised Aster wholeheartedly.

They saw Aster not just as a hero but as a savior who awakened them from their delusions.

Because, in this country, magic was everything. Your innate bloodline magic determined everything.

Aster's words, with his exceptional bloodline magic, became the truth.

This was the Kingdom of Eustia, where magic determined everything.

And the embodiment of this contradiction was none other than Prince Aster, who once banished Hermes.

I see.

How absurd.

"Now you see, Katia! No matter how much you struggle—!?"

As Aster turned to boast, his words halted mid-sentence.

It wasn't due to anything done or said.

It was simply that when he looked at Katia, he also saw the person beside her.

He saw Hermes, emitting an aura of absolute zero, so freezing even just to behold, with a chilling pressure.

Hermes, unlike others, didn't prioritize anything beyond magic.

No, because of that, it might be.

Hermes felt genuine disgust and aversion towards this prince for the first time.

"What... What business does a servant like you have to glare at me like that? Are you prepared for the consequences!?"

Facing Hermes's aura, Aster stumbled back, masking his clear fear with false bravado.

Unfazed, Hermes continued to glare at Aster with his icy stare.