CH 35

<Marie’s POV>

The sudden attack of Lionetta, one of the leaders of the demon king’s army caused the arena to temporarily fall silent, but after a while, a murmur spread like a wave.

“Eh? One of the four demon generals? Isn’t she a monster who can destroy a country by herself?”

“Are you for real? How can this be?”

“If it’s really true then this is bad, Glace-sama isn’t here. If we don’t run, we’ll be killed!”

The audience began to leave their seats in panic.

“Everyone please calm down desu!”

Rosie desperately raised her voice.

It was understandable why everyone would be in a state of panic.

The existence of the Four Demon Generals is the same as the Seven Heroes in terms of power and force. It’s logical to say they’re more vile and troublesome than the seven heroes because they deal with dark magic which is a forbidden technique.

For the people, Lionetta’s attack was like the sudden arrival of an SS-ranked monster such as an Ancient Dragon or Yamata no Orochi (Eight-headed and Eight- tailed serpent). No, she’s worse than that because she has a clear intention to harm the people.

“This isn’t possible… why is there a demon general in our country at this time!”

King Castral had a confused look on his face.

The active territory of the demon king’s army is currently far away from here. Even if they were to lay a hand on Pistel, it would have been in a distant future.

In the meantime, while the people were in a state of panic, the magic knights on guard were raining down fierce magic attacks on Lionetta. However, Lionetta did not change her expression and easily repelled them with her magic pressure.

Her overwhelming defense power was enough to prove she was indeed one of the Four demon generals of the demon king’s army.

“This is my first time seeing you, Your Majesty Castral. It’s a festival for the whole country. I’d like to contribute to the festivities, So please enjoy it at your leisure.”

“Nightmare Mirage”.

The moment she chanted it.

The ground, which was about half the size of the arena, emitted a faint glow of magic power. The magic power changed into a mist and spread among the people.

(“Nightmare Mirage”?)

The name sounded familiar to Marie.

And if it really is the same magic as the one in her knowledge – well, that’s not good.

“What was that? Was it something bad?”

“Maybe, but I don’t feel anything…?

“It’s not itchy or painful. Could it be that it failed?”

The crowd seemed to be looking around and craning their necks, wondering why nothing happened.

But then…

“Huh, hey… what’s going on?”

“Shut up!”

Bam!

The sound of a dry blow.

That was the beginning of the nightmare.

I looked over and saw a spectator grabbing another nearby spectator by the chest and punching him.

“What the hell is…? What are you doing?”

“Urusei! (Shut up!) I’ve always disliked you!”

The people around him rushed to stop him, but the assailant went on a rampage like an agitated bull, striking with his fist two or three more times.

The man’s anger was not unusual, but it was just like a fight that would happen at least once a day in a bar. That’s what everyone thought.

But things were not that simple.

(This is still ……)

It wasn’t just the man, but all over the arena, people were rioting and attacking people.

“Pay back the money I lent you last time!”

“Don’t always act like you’re so great!”

“You’ve been sleeping with my husband! I know all about it!”

Not just a few people, but dozens or hundreds of people have suddenly gone berserk and are attacking anyone in their vicinity as if they’ve lost their grip on reason.

“It’s as if the entire arena is under an illusionary spell! How can this be, It’s a magic that gets more difficult to control the wider the range and she’s covered the whole arena?”

“Oh? who said it was only covering the arena?”

When Lionetta said this and smiled fearlessly, Soldiers rushed to King Castral from outside the arena.

“Your Majesty! There are riots and brawls going on all over the capital right now! It’s already out of control!”

“What in the whole capital? How can that be?”

Marie gulps

Is there really such a thing?

“Nightmare Mirage” is an 8th strategic-grade illusion magic which is said to only be usable only by paranormal beings like gods and higher spirits.

It’s a magic that casts a deluding spell similar to Confusion over a very wide area of people, inciting negative emotions such as anger and anxiety to confuse them.

The effect on the people itself is very small because it is applied over a very wide area, and the actual effect is only supposed to affect 10 to 20 percent of the people at most. However, if 10 to 20% of the more than 10,000 people in the capital were to go on a rampage, it would be more than enough to put the entire capital into a state of panic.

In fact, even in the arena, where there are many soldiers working to suppress the situation, It has become uncontrollable. 

“Marie-sama …… please evacuate immediately!”

“No there’s a barrier covering the VIP seats so it’s fine. From the outside even if it’s hit by a dragon, it won’t be breached. This is the safest place in the kingdom right now. Don’t worry about me, you can help with subduing the people.”

Remilia stood and left her seat without objection to go cooperate with the soldiers.

Marie frowned as she saw the crowd rampaging in the arena.

(If Celie-sama were here, she would have been able to subdue them, but I suppose that’s why she sealed her off first.)

If there was anyone who could counter Lionetta’s illusion magic, it would be Celie of the “Seven Heroes”, But since she wasn’t there, it won’t be easy to quell the chaos.

“But this magic alone isn’t a big threat.”

I overheard King Castral say that.

Certainly “Nightmare Mirage” is a super wide range strategic grade magic, but the effect itself is about the level of low-grade illusion magic. The damage is actually not that great. You just have to calmly suppress it with your troops and wait for the effect to wear off.

But as if to ridicule such an idea, Lionetta opened her mouth.

“Of course, this magic is not the end of the play. This magic is only powerful when used in conjunction with other strategies.”

King Castral narrows his eyes sharply.

“What are you planning to do?”

“It’s not much, really. I’ve got a battalion of the Demon King’s army waiting for me in the Luran Forest near the capital. The city gates have been opened, and they will be pouring into the city soon.”

“What!? battalion!?”

King Castral’s voice shows clear panic.

It’s not easy to intercept a battalion of the demon king’s army even in normal times.  It’s a fight where you have to take countermeasures against each monster in advance.

If the people are confused and divided against each other, no matter how hard they try, they wouldn’t stand a chance. I think he understands that.

“No heroes present, the royal capital is in chaos. I wonder if the royal capital has the capacity and strength to deal with both me and my hordes of monsters.”

“Damn you…”

King Castral grits his teeth.

(This isn’t good…)

If nothing is done, the kingdom will fall into the hands of the demon king’s army. Even if Glace and Merlin remained in the royal capital and helped, there’s no doubt that many people would have been sacrificed by then. We have to come up with a plan somehow.

Just as Marie was thinking desperately.

“Hehehehe! Marie-sama, I found you!”

“……!”

It was one of the noblemen in the dignitary’s seat who suddenly called out to me.

When I turned to look, I saw that the man’s eyes were bulging and it seemed he was under the deluding effect of the Nightmare Mirage. 

(It seems that he’s not thinking …… clearly)

Marie is wary of the man and stands up.

It’s true that the barrier of the noble seats is extremely strong against attacks from the outside. But if a riot happens on the inside, it will be useless.

“Heh heh heh… you’re really beautiful up close. I’ve wanted to mess you up since the first time I saw you at the soiree. The day I finally get to rape this fairy princess has come. It’s really like a dream come true. I’m so glad I’m still alive.”

The man smiled a vulgar smile and began to inch closer to Marie.

Looking at the guest seats, there are fights happening everywhere and none of the soldiers were likely to come to her aid because they were too busy subduing the others. 

(I have to …… do something about it myself.)

I thought that, but my feet were frozen in place.

Marie is a talented woman who has high grades in academics at the Windstar Magic Academy and can use more magic than a magic knight.

So even if I was attacked by thugs, I thought I could at least defend myself. Even though I was told that if I come face to face with danger, I wouldn’t be able to do anything because of fear, I always thought I could do something about it by myself.

However, now that I was standing in a predicament with a thug right in front of me, I finally understood the rightness of those words to the point of regret.

Perhaps because of the illusion magic, Marie’s mind was confused and she blanked out before the impending situation.

“Heh heh heh, your skin is incredibly smooth…This skin, this beautiful hair… it’s all mine.”

While Marie couldn’t do anything but stand there trembling, the man finally reached Marie and reached out to touch her cheek.

Marie was so terrified that her fairy like face gradually tightened and her eyes began to tear up.

I’m scared.

I’m scared.

I’m scared.

The only thing I could think of was that feeling that kept ruminating in my head.

“Save me… Brad-sama” I whispered in a fading voice.

He’s not even in the arena. There was no point in calling the name of someone who wasn’t there. There was no way such a small voice could reach him. She knew that, but still she couldn’t help but say the name.

But just as the man’s hand was about to reach from Marie’s neck to her chest – that’s when it happened.

Bam!!

“… Aga !?”

The man got blown away.

As if he had brought the wrath of a dragon and received an iron hammer on his body, the man blew from one end of the guest seats to the other and fell to the ground.

(What on earth…?)

Wiping the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand, Marie opened her eyes.

When she came to, there was a figure standing in front of her.

“You can’t touch her casually like that.”

The figure speaks with a voice that Marie can barely hear to the man who was already unconscious and then walks to her. 

There’s no doubt about it.

It was Brad von Pistel, Marie’s fiancé, the beautiful first prince with his shining silver hair and brown skin.

“I’m sorry for being late. Are you alright my princess?”

He knelt down in front of her like a knight and reached out his hands gently.

And the moment she touched his warm hands,

“…”

Jewell-like tears slowly spilled from Marie’s eyes.