# 55
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* * *
“When, for heaven’s sake, will the final start?”
“It seems that the Duke has not appeared yet. Is there something wrong…?”
The match was supposed to start a long time ago according to the schedule.
As the start was delayed without any announcement, those in attendance who were looking forward to the final began to grumble and whisper.
Elinor was also puzzled.
Tidian, Hilliard's younger brother, was scheduled to fight a decisive battle to win the tournament.
Therefore, since the morning, everyone in the Duke's family, including Matthias, had been enthusiastically cheering him on.
Why didn't he suddenly appear?
'Did Charlotte come?!'
Eleanor jumped from her seat.
He must have received news of Charlotte's appearance in the Cave of Five Colors.
What a vile duke.
Is it possible that he didn't tell me anything so he could secretly take Charlotte...!
"Yes!"
Suddenly, a scream rang out from one side of the field.
Elinor turned instinctively and her eyes widened.
In the audience seats on the other side, someone was collapsing.
As if it was melting under the hot sun like sherbet.
Beneath the collapsed figure, a black liquid pooled.
This event was not happening in just one place.
"What is this!"
“Run away!”
Similar situations occurred around the stadium.
As people rushed out in panic, the audience seats turned into chaos in an instant.
Elinor gripped the railing tightly.
"how?"
This was a phenomenon exhibited by people tainted by black magic.
The black magic engulfing the borders of Hilliard Territory was a deadly poison to humans.
Therefore, ten years ago, the previous Duke who was involved in the incident died, and the Grand Duchess was no longer able to carry the sword.
'But in the original story, nothing like this happened?'
As she quickly remembered, Elinor realized that the jousting tournament was not held this year in the original story.
The original story began a year and eight months ago, so this was about the time the end was coming.
At that time, the Duke, the villain, was busy receiving the retribution for his accumulated actions.
The villain's end should be miserable, so the territory seems to have been destroyed in many ways.
The land rotted, and the inhabitants of the region migrated.
Is this that time?
“Lady, Grand Duchess! You must run away!”
Servants and knights rushed to protect the Hilliard family.
The Grand Duchess, who was having difficulty moving, rose with difficulty.
But at that moment, a nearby scream rang out.
"No no…!"
“Margaret?!”
The body of Lady Margaret, who was supporting the Grand Duchess, was gradually collapsing from her toes.
The Grand Duchess and Margaret looked astonished.
Margaret, overwhelmed with terror, clung to the Grand Duchess.
“Save me, please, Grand Duchess...!”
"The Grand Duchess! Let go of her hand!"
To defend the Grand Duchess, one of the knights quickly struck down Margaret.
But Margaret, who did not let go of the Grand Duchess's hand, caused a backlash that caused the Grand Duchess's body to fall with her behind the fence.
With Elinor's child she was carrying.
"no!"
Elinor threw herf.
It was a knee-jerk act.
She bent down and protected the Grand Duchess who was protecting the child.
At the same time, Margaret completely collapsed and covered herf.
The moment Elinor thought it was all over.
Bam-!
A bright white light exploded from her bosom.
Margaret's collapsed form certainly caught on.
Even if it wasn't, she would have fallen while surrounding the Grand Duchess who was falling behind the fence.
But her body didn't hurt at all.
Rather, it felt like being exposed to the sunshine of a spring day, warm and mild.
Elinor blinked slowly.
"bird…?"
Above her head, a small bird with a bright light was flying in circles.
The little cup-eyed bird with light golden feathers made gentle sounds, then landed on Elinor's shoulder.
But Elinor realized that this bird was no ordinary cup-eyed bird.
The light that had just exploded was the same light that appeared when the child healed himf with holy power.
“Holy beast...”
murmured the Grand Duchess, who had witnessed the same scene.
“The sacred beast protecting the saint has appeared.”
"What?"
“Eleanor, behind you...!”
Elinor turned.
Pollutions that had not yet been destroyed were flowing towards them.
Elinor couldn't handle the Holy Beast or anything else.
When Elinor pushed the Grand Duchess and the child to a safe place.
thorns-!
Horrorrock!
A blue aura and red flames filled the scene in front of her.
“Mom! Are you hurt?!”
The Duke, whom she thought had gone to look for Charlotte, appeared before her.
He was holding a huge sword surrounded by a blue aura.
Next to him was another person standing.
“Agares?”
“Hello, Ellie?”
He was the Master of the Mage Tower, who disappeared after saying that they would meet again.
Agares clicked his fingers.
Suddenly, red flames exploded across the stadium.
They were all in places where people tainted by black magic were.
No screams were heard.
Because those who collapsed have already lost their human mind.
However, was it her imagination that she heard voices pleading for salvation?
“I knew something exciting was going to happen.”
In the dangerous atmosphere, Agares was the only one humming cheerfully.
* * *
“He failed.”
In the corner of the first floor of the stadium, where there was almost no one.
“Failure, failure. How did the Wizard Tower Master get here?”
A woman dressed as a black maid muttered with a frown.
According to the original plan, a bigger accident was supposed to happen.
Until Duke Hilliard is forced to desperately seek help from outside.
But things ended up on a smaller scale than I expected.
So much so that she felt that the long preparations for this day had been in vain.
“Did Miss confess?”
This was the last day she could see the Duke.
At least, I helped her diligently to leave good memories.
She was the one who had arranged things so that Grace could take on the role of aide-de-camp, a role reserved for the Duke's wife.
“Although the award ceremony was not held, you were happy, weren’t you, Miss?”
I'm such a nice and friendly person.
The woman, who had tears in her little eyes, turned and left.
There is no trace left where you left it.
* * *
The final match was paused.
With the incident of people melting before their eyes, it was not possible to continue the tournament carelessly.
Fortunately, there were no additional victims except those who were initially contaminated.
“However, there are a large number of wounded.”
Cornelia, whose eyes were red, said in a tired voice.
“Because everyone was trying to escape from the field at the same time, the incident got worse.”
“What about doctors?”
“They were sent to the temporary hospital with the doctors. They are treating the wounded there.”
Matthias looked at the Grand Duchess, who was receiving treatment while sitting on the bed.
Fortunately, she was only in shock, with no visible injuries.
But Tidian, the youngest, looked very shocked.
Tidian was clinging to the Grand Duchess's side, sniffling.
“I couldn't protect my mother.”
His face was as pale as white.
“I was foolish, busy with the tournament, and didn't notice that something serious would happen... When my brother wasn't around, I had to protect my mother and sisters...”
"Teddy, it was a very important match for you today. You weren't injured, and I'm fine. Stop crying."
The Grand Duchess comforted her terrified son.
But that made Tidian cry even more.
In the end, he cried loudly and hugged the Grand Duchess.
“What a big crying man.”
The Grand Duchess patted Tidian on the back as if she could do nothing else.
At that moment, her eyes met Elinor, who was standing a short distance from the bed.