The Book Eating Magician Chapter 370:

Chapter 370 - Choice and Responsibility (3)

Chiiiik!

It was a strange landscape . The ground was dried out from a drought, and the countless scattered chunks of charcoal were barely recognizable .  The haze rising from the ground and the heat that melted rocks like butter added goosebumps . Had a pyroclastic flow occurred here? No, it was still strange .

“Hrmm . ”

Above all, one had to look at the figure in the center . The ice golem melted in a matter of minutes, while the beauty who breathed naturally was the source of the discomfort .  As she stood on the lava that wasn’t set, she looked around and muttered casually, “ . . . Okay, this much is fine without me . ”

The beauty, Veronica, flew away from this spot after knowing there were no more variants in the area .  

This was after the negotiations between Theodore and Lust were finished .  Veronica followed his instructions and led the survivors to the Baekun Mountains . Escorting wasn’t her style, so she used her own method . However, the effects were good . She was moving one step ahead of the party and getting rid of all variants!

Veronica preferred head-on confrontations due to her nature, but her capability for high-speed flight and her overwhelming firepower made her a fearsome guerrilla .

‘Pour out attacks from the sky in a one-sided manner and then escape at a speed that can’t be followed . It is a winning strategy of one against many . ’

Veronica had used this to tie up the feet of the Andras Empire back when masters were lacking . The sword masters hadn’t been able to catch up with her .

She had gotten the nickname, Witch of Heat, when she cut off the supply routes of the empire with her bombardments . In comparison, these monsters were nothing . They didn’t have any tactical ability and couldn’t cope with unexpected situations .

‘Sometimes strong ones pop out, but… it is useless . ’

They were so dumb that they would chase her desperately her for dozens of kilometers .  Once they were exhausted by the chase and unable to fight properly, she would kill them . The variants who were capable of high-speed flight would be led into the trap that Veronica had laid in advance . Thus, she had killed tens of thousands of variants in just three days .

Tak .

Once she returned to the point where the survivors were, they were just getting up and packing to leave . Simultaneously, the monk who had been on watch throughout the night welcomed Veronica .

“Welcome back . How is it at the front?”

“I swept them all away . There were around a hundred that fled, but you can handle those, right?”

“It isn’t a problem . Will you be going back to your husband?” Taeryun said while riding on a bony horse .

“Hey! My husband is coming to me! Are you making fun of me? Yes?” Veronica couldn’t repress her shout .  

Taeryun laughed, raising both hands, “Huhu, don’t be so angry . It is because the two of you look so good together . ”

“R-Really? Then, well . . . ”

“Thank you for escorting us this far,” Taeryun bowed and thanked her sincerely .

They were saviors from foreign lands .  Theodore, Veronica and Sylvia—if it hadn’t been for the three of them, there would be no survivors . Taeryun didn’t know what ties there were, but he promised to return the favor if they met again . As the two of them talked, the survivors started moving .

“I will be going now . Do you have anything left to say?”

“Um . . . Ah, yes,” Veronica remembered something . “Once you arrive in the Baekun Mountains, tell that guy something for me . Not in my name but in Theodore’s . ”

“What is it?”

“That . . . ”

The story wasn’t a long one . Once she told him Theodore’s message, Taeryun nodded and turned away .  It would take a day or two for the message to reach Orta’s ears .  Veronica’s task was up to here .  She waited as the procession headed toward the horizon and gradually became invisible .  

There was something she hadn’t said in advance . Deeper than the heart, the connection from inside her soul was getting closer and closer .

‘Ah, they’re coming . ’

She had a hunch before the signs of space movement occurred .

Flash!

Unsurprisingly, two people appeared inside the light .

“Theo!” Veronica knew he was safe thanks to the contract, but she was excited to see his face again .  She was about to jump into Theodore’s arms when she paused .  It was because he had a passenger .

“ . . . R-Red Tower Master . ”

Why was Sylvia staring at her with wet eyes trembling with guilt? Veronica saw the way Sylvia was half-leaning against Theodore on rubbery legs and laughed as she grasped the situation .  “Hah . ”

Sylvia stiffened as she interpreted the laugh in her own manner .

“Well, I knew this would happen one day . ” Veronica winked at Theodore before looking at Sylvia leaning on his chest .

Red and silver . . .

Blue and gold . . .

The two beautiful women with contrasting colors faced each other .

“But shouldn’t we organize the hierarchy?”

“Huh?”

"The title is… Yes, will you call me older sister in private?”

“T-That . . . ” Sylvia was embarrassed .

As Veronica glanced at Sylvia’s legs, she whispered, “You . Did you intentionally not use healing magic? I thought you were old-fashioned, but you’re quite cute . ”

“Ah, t-that . . . ”

“You’re mature enough not to be a child . I’m looking forward to the future . I hope you can show me the same face you are making now . ” Veronica patted the cheek of Sylvia, who turned red because she was unfamiliar with this type of contact .  Looking at the relationship that went more gently than expected, Theodore recalled a forgotten fact .

Veronica was much older than she looked . Moreover, Veronica had the blood of the red dragons, who were big on love . This made her flexible about old-fashioned notions of **** .

“Theo . ” After Sylvia melted from a few words and actions, Veronica approached him and spoke in a small voice . “Let me know what happened . ”

“Ah, yes . ”

It was a shortcut that was only possible with her . Theodore closed his eyes and sent the full story of what happened with Lust a few days ago through the string of their contract . Veronica made an unpleasant expression while viewing the content, then she frowned like she was worried about something .   “Tch, so that is what happened . Then what are you going to do?”

“Once we return Sylvia to the kingdom, we must join the supporting forces in Japan and move to Geongun Castle . If it is as I expect, the defenses will already be complete . . . ”

“Hrm,” Veronica made a subtle noise and poked his side .

“What is it?”

“That isn’t all . With your nature, you won’t move according to the wishes of another party . Did you do something? Just let me know . ”

“Let’s see?” Theodore smiled with a strange expression . It was neither positive nor negative .  Veronica saw his expression and laughed . It was clearly a suspicious expression .  If he couldn’t tell her, then there must be a reason .  It was enough to know that the foundation was laid .  

Theodore turned away from the laughing Veronica and smiled coldly . In any history, the winner was the last one to smile .

 

*     *     *

 

From that day on, the landscape of the East Continent started to change at a speed that no one could catch .  Variants were created through Lust’s work, and those who refused had their lands stained with blood and death . They were residents who ran away from the castle, shamans hidden deep in the mountains, and warriors who knew honor .

Of course, there were separate factors that caused a change .  On top of a mountain peak, a voice entered Theodore’s ears, “South Army, the 5th unit under the command of Kamiizumi Nobutsuna . We have come . ” 

Seimei’s strategy was to advance southward and have the forces of Japan to meet up at a promised place . Kamiizumi Nobutsuna and his immediate relatives had made it . They were injured in the process, but it wasn’t a big loss because Suzuka and Seimei had leeway to heal them .

“Kuahahat! North Army, I, Shuten-doji, have come to play!”

Following the southern army, the northern army soon arrived at the mountain peak . The blood-covered Shuten-doji gave a hearty laugh and looked much more lively than when they first met .  He lived to fight and fought to die . For Shuten-doji, the strongest of the Oni clan, the last few days had been more pleasurable than the one thousand years he had spent on Oe Mountain .

“Shuten-doji, I don’t see Tsuchigumo?”

“Oh, he died . The feudal lord was quite strong . They left together, so there is no lingering attachment . ”

“ . . . I see . ”

Indeed, it was an oni-like way of thinking . However, Daitengu had no objections and just nodded .  For youkai, there wasn’t much difference between life and death .  

Theodore looked at those gathered here and arranged the present situation .

‘The two feudal lords in the west have escaped to Geongun Castle, and I missed one of them . This means there are at least three sacred creatures at Geongun Castle . ’

That wasn’t a fatal mistake . After all, there wouldn’t be a big difference with Geongun Castle’s defense system . It was troublesome if the feudal lords controlled the variants, but their combat power wasn’t enough to control this phase . The first objective was to enter Geongun Castle .

The last troops arrived as he reached this conclusion .

Flash! It was a spatial movement .  Theodore recognized a familiar flash and heard familiar voices .

“Theo! This **** went and left us alone!”

“ . . . I am embarrassed . I’m glad we’re not too late . ”

Randolph and Titania, the companions Theodore had left behind when he crossed to the East Continent, looked disgruntled but didn’t care about the danger .  The reason to not be defeated increased by one more factor .  Theodore smiled happily and thanked them while apologizing .   Randolph grunted while Titania accepted the apology .

Then it was at this moment that . . .

“―Eh?”

“Huup!”

“Heok!”

Everyone went into combat mode as an enormous magic power was felt above their heads .  It felt like the sky was falling down .  Out of nowhere, a big shadow shrouded the sky . Only Theodore was able to greet them with a slightly surprised expression .

“ . . . I didn’t know you would come . ”

He didn’t know why they had come to the East Continent despite their battle wounds from last time still not being fully healed .

[We didn’t come to help you, human . Don’t be complacent . ]

[Huhu, we can’t help you much . Please use us properly . ]

A dragon of the red clan, Brasmati, and a dragon of the green clan, Erucus—the dragons whom Theodore met during the battle against Sloth were now staring at him with golden eyes .

Theodore welcomed them with open arms and thought, ‘I will win . ’