Chapter 27: You All Think Too Much

Chapter 27: You All Think Too Much

Fanzell and Lotus began to circulate their mana as the two figures—Gray Wolf and Green Owl, as they'd come to know—floated upwards to meet them.

Both pairs landed on a nearby cliff, facing each other on level ground. Blue Eagle had already briefed Gray Wolf and Green Owl on Fanzell and Lotus' magical attributes, with Fanzell being a wind mage. And Fanzell and Lotus had watched Gray Wolf and Green Owl take to the skies with such ease that neither side was confident they'd have any advantage in aerial combat. Better to stick to the comfort zone, Fanzell thought. Solid ground.

As the two groups stared each other down, each waiting for the other to make a move, Lotus decided to break the silence. Scratching his chin, he studied the masked duo and, with narrowed eyes, asked, "Mind telling us what this 'Master L' of yours wants with little old me and the kid here?"

Lotus was baffled. Sure, he was talented enough to reach Adjutant General at his age, but he doubted he'd get much farther up the military ladder. And as for Fanzell, though Lotus recognized his genius, he knew that potential meant little without time to grow. A genius only becomes a real threat when they're allowed to develop.

If Master L wanted to capture someone, Lotus reasoned, surely it should be General Yagos. Yagos was the oldest and most knowledgeable of the 8 Shining Generals; he held secrets of the Diamond Kingdom far above anything Lotus or Fanzell could know. So why us? Lotus narrowed his eyes. Maybe he doesn't think he could make someone like the General talk. Or worse... maybe there's something specific about us that he's after. If he's even a 'he,' to begin with.

Lotus watched the two, waiting for an answer, but they remained silent.

Even if Green Owl wanted to answer, he was lost in his own thoughts. Does he mean Lord Leto? he wondered. But that doesn't make sense. We're supposed to avoid Lord Leto's attention, not attract it. Green Owl resisted the urge to rub his temples in frustration. He couldn't understand Blue Eagle's thinking at all.

Green Owl was used to being above everyone else, trusted with every detail of any mission he joined, even when he wasn't in charge. His superiors treated him with respect—some even tried to curry his favor. That was his right as the young master of House Kira. He was used to being told what he wanted to know. But now? He was being kept on a need-to-know basis, as if he were any other subordinate. Who does Blue Eagle think he is? he thought bitterly. We're supposed to be partners. So where do you get off treating me like another one of your servants?

He glanced sideways at Blue Eagle who was locked in combat, squinting slightly at what he saw, before turning away, deciding it wasn't worth pursuing further. I thought you were just a support mage, he thought to himself.

Gray Wolf noticed that Green Owl wasn't planning to speak up anytime soon, so he set aside his own reserved nature, coughed, and cleared his throat to deliver the lines Blue Eagle had drilled into them. His voice, muffled and flattened by the Haze Mask's filter, came out stripped of any nuance or feeling. Trying to appear as unthreatening as possible, he spoke in an eerie monotone.

"Master L is the selfless savior of this world. Our messiah! Our god! Sinner Yagos is too far gone, his only pardon is through death. But you two are still young and can be saved. As long as you lay down your arms, don't resist, and come before Master L, you can seek forgiveness."

An awkward silence settled over the group, Gray Wolf's overly fervent speech landing with all the intensity of a wet sponge thanks to his emotionless tone. Green Owl, snapping out of his daze, looked away in embarrassment, wishing he could melt into the ground.

Fanzell and Lotus exchanged a look, each thinking the same thing: Damn cultists. Despite Gray Wolf's flat delivery, his words had the same fanatical vibe that brought back memories of the worst zealots they'd dealt with. A certain blind bespectacled one, among them, came to mind. Done with trying to get more information, Lotus wasted no time.

Extending his hand toward the masked pair, he unleashed the spell he'd been preparing. "Smoke Weakening Magic: Smoke Garden of Usurpation!"

A subtle, translucent haze began to drift around Gray Wolf and Green Owl, seeping into the air without a sound. Both of them blinked, their vision starting to blur as they felt an odd, creeping weakness in their limbs. They looked at each other in confusion, wobbling as they sank to their knees.

As seasoned players in the cutthroat aristocratic world, they knew the signs immediately. We've been poisoned!

Watching the two struggle, Lotus scratched his cheek, letting out an internal sigh of relief. Smoke Garden Usurpation, he thought. Invisible to the naked eye, this smoke seeps poison into the air, dulling awareness even for those with a sharp mana sense. And lucky me, I'm immune to my own spell. And my allies as well.

The poison would take a little more time to fully incapacitate them, but Lotus wasn't one to leave things to chance. Snapping his fingers, he signaled to his partner.

"Wind Creation Magic: Slicing Wind Emperor!" Fanzell stepped forward as a broad sword of swirling wind formed in his right hand. He moved swiftly toward the masked duo, aiming to finish them before they had any chance to react.

It was a good plan, but Green Owl was anything but incompetent—or hesitant. The instant he sensed his body weakening, his grimoire had already floated up before him. A balance scale appeared in his left hand, held firmly by the top ring. Just as Fanzell lunged at them, Green Owl activated his spell from his knees.

"Scale Regulate!" With that, the scales tipped drastically in favor of Green Owl and Gray Wolf, and both Lotus' and Fanzell's spells were suppressed.

But this was no mere suppression—if the difference in mana between two parties was significant enough, Green Owl could outright erase their spells. As a member of the Clover Kingdom's main royal line, Green Owl possessed more mana than Lotus and Fanzell combined. In the future, he would even be capable of suppressing the entire Black Bull squad at once; though he wasn't yet in his prime, neither were Lotus and Fanzell.

As the scales tipped, Lotus and Fanzell felt their control over their spells slip entirely. Straining even to summon their mana, they were left exposed. Fanzell reacted quickly, throwing a right hook, hoping to end things physically. But now it was Gray Wolf's turn.

Gray Wolf extended his hands, which began to glow in a silver-gray hue, and with a sudden burst, an invisible force launched Fanzell backward, sending him crashing straight into Lotus.

Before the two could even grunt in pain or try to recover, they felt themselves being lifted off the ground by the same invisible force, an intense pressure pinning their ribs and hoisting them into the air.

"Acck!"

"Gahh!"

Lotus and Fanzell gasped and struggled against whatever was holding them. They squirmed, eyes squeezed shut, trying to break free, but they couldn't. Physical strength wasn't enough, and with Green Owl's spell blocking their mana, they were utterly helpless.

If anyone with heightened mana perception or eye magic were watching, they'd see the invisible, silver-gray hands clutching Lotus and Fanzell, squeezing the air from their lungs.

The two struggled, trying to muster some form of resistance, but the nightmare wasn't over yet. From their satchels, their grimoires began to glow with the same silver-gray aura, drawn out of their possession and floating uncontrollably toward Gray Wolf. The grimoires hovered briefly before being encased in silver-gray cubes, then fell heavily to the ground, their connection to their wielders severed.

Lotus, wincing, forced one eye open and glanced down at Gray Wolf and Green Owl, who stood silently below with their expressions unreadable behind their masks. With a resigned sigh, he pushed through the pain. "A-alright, w-we s-surrender... you... h-have us beat."

Fanzell groaned. "G-General Lotus, what are you doing?" He couldn't believe it—soldiers were supposed to fight to the death for their kingdom, not surrender.

Lotus gave a pained chuckle. "J-just trust me, k-kid." He wheezed, a figure flashing through his mind. Sorry, kid, I've got someone waiting for me back home. Can't afford to die here.

His eyes narrowed as they fell on Green Owl's scale. According to intel, there's only one person across the four kingdoms with this kind of magic. If House Kira's heir himself was here to capture them, things were more serious than he'd initially thought. They probably have ways to force our cooperation, he thought. They're just giving us one last courtesy.

All Fanzell could do was nod weakly. Yeah, we're completely outmatched. If this had been a fair fight, neither side aware of the other's powers, things might've gone differently. Lotus and Fanzell were seasoned warriors, veterans of countless battles, whereas Gray Wolf and Green Owl, though powerful, were products of privilege, untested by the same hardships. But Gray Wolf and Green Owl's magic attributes complemented each other far too well, leaving little room for resistance.

Gray Wolf gave a nod, loosening the grip on their bodies just enough to let them breathe while Green Owl continued to suppress their mana. Two clip-point knives with semicircular notches near the handles floated from Gray Wolf's utility belt. Paralyze knives, Green Owl observed, narrowing his eyes. [1]

Gray Wolf watched without expression as he maneuvered the knives to hover near Lotus and Fanzell's necks, pressing them lightly against their skin. As the blades touched, a purple hexagram magic circle flared to life, and the two men stiffened instantly, their eyes fluttering shut as they slipped into unconsciousness.

Gray Wolf set Lotus and Fanzell down by a nearby tree before a rope laced with esoteric runes slipped from his belt and hovered in mid-air. Moving methodically, he began tying them to the tree with practiced precision.

Mana Binding Cable... Green Owl's brow twitched as he observed Gray Wolf's efficiency. He spoke softly, his tone flat. "You came quite prepared." And seem right at home with this sort of thing. [2]

Gray Wolf responded with a silent nod, leaving Green Owl with unsettling thoughts. What else does Blue Eagle have him do?

If Green Owl had realized he was even using code names in his own thoughts, he might've wanted to scream. Instead, his head jerked backward as he heard a hoarse, desperate voice begging from nearby, "S-spare me, please!"

Five Minutes Earlier:

As Blue Eagle ascended the watery staircase toward Yagos, his opponent wasn't about to wait for him to reach the top. Gritting his teeth, Yagos flipped through his grimoire, landing on his ace spell. "Mucus Creation Magic: Mucus Nail!"

With a sickly yellow glow, a massive snail of mucus materialized around Yagos. Without a moment's hesitation, he directed the snail to charge down the staircase, barreling toward Blue Eagle, who watched impassively.

The snail engulfed Blue Eagle, rocketing down and slamming into the ground with enough force to leave a crater. Yagos threw back his head, cackling at the sky. "Now that you're trapped, boy, my mucus will weaken and burn you until you die—"

He stopped, his laughter dying in his throat as his gaze fell on Blue Eagle. The sight he'd anticipated—Blue Eagle struggling helplessly—never came. Instead, Yagos stared, wide-eyed, as the mucus within the snail seemed to part on its own, leaving Blue Eagle untouched in a strange air pocket.

"H-how?" Yagos's pride and arrogance were gone; he just wanted an answer. How is he controlling my spell?

Blue Eagle sighed in his robotic monotone. "Mucus is water, you fool. Trying to use it against me is just asking for a beating."

As he turned to regroup with Gray Wolf and Green Owl, he sighed. Something is very wrong with me. I need to get that checked out.

A Couple Minutes Later:

The effects of the Paralyze Knife were wearing off as Lotus and Fanzell slowly opened their eyes, taking in the scene before them.

They were chained to a tree, bound with ropes that seemed to sever their connection to mana. Looking up, they saw Gray Wolf and Green Owl flanking the Man in Blue, who stood calmly in the center as if he were the undisputed leader of the group.

As though reading their thoughts, the Man in Blue spoke with an indifferent tone. "You may call me Blue Eagle."

Blue Eagle paused briefly before continuing, "Naturally, my being here means your leader is dead. So don't waste energy struggling or calling for help. No one's coming to save you."

As Blue Eagle's words sank in, Fanzell nodded weakly, his eyes drifting to the grimoires caged in those same strange, floating gray cubes. Beside him, Lotus narrowed his eyes on the group, studying them closely.

He fixated on Green Owl first, nodding slightly to himself. I'm fairly certain that's Damnatio Kira—unless he has some unknown bastard sibling. His build doesn't match the reports, though. Must be using a magical tool, like the one disguising their grimoires.

His gaze shifted to their plain black grimoires, and then to Gray Wolf. No idea who that is.

Finally, he focused on Blue Eagle, standing confidently in the center. There's only one man in the Clover Kingdom who's both a water mage and associated with eagles. But could Sebastian Silva really be strong enough to kill the general? Or is our intelligence completely off?

The thought unsettled Lotus. If their intel on someone that high-profile was wrong, that meant their painstakingly groomed spies were either incompetent—or, worse, compromised.

But that, I could accept, Lotus thought, trying to make sense of the possibility. What I can't understand is why a royal patriarch would be so reckless, leaving such obvious clues to his identity. What's the point of disguising yourself if you're going to practically announce who you are?

That can only mean one thing! Lotus froze, his breath hitching as he clamped his mouth shut, barely containing his excitement, as though he'd just uncovered a massive secret. This guy dressed like that on purpose, so we'd think he's Sebastian Silva. That means he's probably going to spare us and let us go... so we can run back to Diamond, blame Silva for the death of an Eight Shining General, and spark a conflict between our kingdoms. That would lead to full-blown war.

Lotus convinced himself he'd pieced it all together. Diamond would demand justice, pressing Clover to either hand over Sebastian Silva or execute him. But Clover would do neither. Turning over Silva wasn't an option—he knew far too many of their secrets. Executing him would be unthinkable; after all, he'd killed an Eight Shining General, saved a Magic Knight squad, and disrupted this intricate plot. He should be hailed as a hero, not condemned.

And if Clover did go down that road? House Silva would never stand for it, Lotus thought, picturing the chaos that would unfold. They'd consider it an outrage, a blow to Clover's pride and its nobility—a humiliating insult Clover's classist society could never accept!

In the end, only one option would be left—a bloody war that would consume lands and snuff out countless lives, all because neither side could admit their wrongs or back down. And during that chaos, this Secret Order would be free to pursue its true goals, while both kingdoms were too distracted to notice.

A chill ran down Lotus's spine as he looked at Blue Eagle, feeling as if he were staring at the devil himself.

The only thing Lotus couldn't piece together was Damnatio Kira's involvement. Why is he here? Lotus wondered. Is he an impostor too? Scale Magic didn't exist before his mother. Unless...

His pupils dilated. We suspected Damnatio harbored resentment toward his father for what happened to his mother. What if that resentment has grown to encompass the entire Clover Kingdom?

Lotus subtly studied Green Owl. He wants revenge—he wants to see Clover burn. The more he thought about it, the more terrifying possibilities lined up in his mind. Keeping his face impassive, Lotus hid his theories. If they realize I've seen through their scheme, they'll kill us for sure.

"Lotus Whomalt and Fanzell Kruger..." Blue Eagle's calm voice broke his thoughts, pulling both men's attention back to him.

This is it, Lotus thought grimly. I need to play my cards right, convince them to let us go. And I'll keep Fanzell in the dark about the truth. This is for His Majesty's ears only!

"...What do the two of you say about joining the Clover Kingdom?" Blue Eagle finished.

An awkward silence settled over the group as Lotus and Fanzell processed his words. They exchanged confused glances, blinking before turning back to Blue Eagle.

"Huh?" Their voices came out in unison. Whatever they had expected, this wasn't it.

Omake:

"Not joining us?" Acier asked, tilting her head as she looked at a fidgeting Dorothy from her bed.

Noelle sat in Acier's lap, while Nozel sat across from Nebra and Solid, who were eating at the coffee table beside their mother's bed on Victorian-style sofas. Dorothy shifted nervously. "Dad said he had somewhere to go," she replied.

Acier sighed, then nodded. "That's fine." After a pause, she gave Dorothy a gentle smile. "Why don't you go sit next to Nozel, dear, and have your dinner."

As Dorothy nodded, Nozel spoke up. "I've already filled your plate—come and sit." He'd left a spot next to him, patting the seat. Dorothy gave him a small smile, causing him to blush inwardly, though he maintained a calm expression as she skipped over and sat beside him.

Dorothy took a light sip of her tea. Tea at dinner? Nobles have such strange habits. She glanced around, noticing the tension in the room. Mom seems disappointed Dad isn't here. I don't know what's going on in little Noelle's world, and Solid and Nebra seem comfortable enough—but I swear I caught a flicker of disappointment in their eyes.

Her gaze slid over to Nozel, her fiancé. He's acting indifferent, but I think he's a little bummed out too. Dorothy narrowed her eyes in determination. I've got to break this atmosphere. Small talk, Dorothy—make it funny, but not too weird. Just funny enough...

What could I say? She scrambled mentally. "Hey, want to hear how I almost got mauled crossing a strong magic zone to get here?" No, not exactly kid-friendly. Or maybe, "Want to hear how I traumatized the child of your mom's savior?" No, that's a hard no.

Her eyes widened as she suddenly blurted out loud, "Hey, Nozel, how do you think our kids are going to look?"

She froze as a loud clunk broke the silence. Nebra and Solid had both spilled their tea, staring at her, wide-eyed. "Huh? What happened?" Dorothy asked, confused, as she looked around the room. Noelle was pointing at her, giggling uncontrollably, and Acier's eyes were equally wide with surprise.

Dorothy turned to see Nozel struggling to meet her gaze, his face flushed bright red. Oh. She blinked, realization hitting her. Did I just say that out loud?

"Mom...did I really just say that?" Dorothy asked in a small voice, feeling her face heat up.

Acier gave her an awkward nod.

Before anyone could respond, Dorothy disappeared in a swirl of purple and pink, fleeing to her Glamor World for refuge.

"W-wait, Dorothy!" Nozel called, reaching out, but she was already gone. Silence filled the room, broken only by Noelle's mad giggling and clapping, delighted at the spectacle.

Nebra and Solid kept their heads down, not daring to look at their older brother. Nozel's eyes, however, landed on Acier as she cleared her throat.

"Nozel Silva," she said, her voice awkward, "the two of you haven't...already done it, right—?"

"Mother!" Nozel burst out, his face as red as a tomato. "I'm only sixteen!"

Acier lowered her head, muttering under her breath, though loud enough for everyone to hear, "And I'm just about to turn thirty-three."

Nozel blinked. Oh.

Author's Notes:

[1] A real magic tool in the Black Clover verse.

[2] Made by me