(A/N):
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The tension was rising. Charlotte still stood close.
Nebra remained composed but watchful.
Noelle tried very hard not to blush again.
Mereoleona's flames were beginning to hum faintly.
"...."
"...."
"...."
Ben had the distinct feeling that if one more sentence was spoken—The undead might look peaceful by comparison.
Then—A cheerful voice chimed from behind him.
"Oh my! Did I miss something interesting?"
The atmosphere shattered instantly.
Ben turned. Standing there with that familiar bright smile was Julius Novachrono.
As if he had just returned from a pleasant walk.
Not an infiltration. Not a capture. Just… sightseeing.
Above them, a small black anti-bird swooped down.
Nero landed gracefully—right atop Ben's crown, settling there like it was a throne designed specifically for her.
She gave the three women a long, flat, unimpressed stare.
"...."
A look that clearly said,
'I was here first.'
Charlotte stiffened whenever she see's this anti bird she get's the feeling it was not a bird but a rival women who was showcasing her dominance.
Nebra narrowed her eyes feeling the same uncomfortable .
-Frown
"...."
Noelle blinked feeling awkward .
Mereoleona's flames flickered.
"…Tch,"
She muttered, sensing the subtle mockery from the tiny bird that looked far too comfortable perched on the King's head.
'Pet,'
She thought.
'Annoying pet.'
Ben sighed faintly.
-Sigh
"Where did you vanish to?" he asked Julius.
"The capital was under attack."
Julius placed a hand behind his head sheepishly.
"Ah, yes, about that. My apologies for being late."
The smile was far too bright.
Far too casual.
"I was confident you all could handle it," he added smoothly.
Ben's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Of course you were."
Julius clapped once.
"Well! Since we're all here…"
He snapped his fingers.
Golden mana rippled outward.
Space folded open beside him—
And four frozen figures appeared, suspended within shimmering spheres of halted time.
Gasps echoed from nearby knights.
Inside the stasis orbs were:
Sally
Valtos
Heath Grice
Catherine
All immobilized. Only their eyes moved.
Julius clasped his hands together excitedly.
"Such fascinating magic types!" he said, eyes sparkling.
-Sparkle! -Sparkle!
He walked around the spheres like a professor presenting rare specimens.
"Gel Magic—high adaptability and restraint potential."
"Spatial Magic—extremely versatile."
"Ice Magic with strong environmental control."
"And Ash Magic—excellent area manipulation!"
He looked genuinely thrilled.
"As a scholar of magic, this is quite the discovery."
The captured members glared helplessly inside their time prisons.
Ben folded his arms.
"So you 'paid a visit,'" he said dryly.
Julius smiled brightly.
-Haha
"And found these four at an underground base along with a very interesting stone slab."
The Magic Knights around them stiffened.
The tension shifted again—From romantic battlefield awkwardness…
To full-scale conspiracy.
Nero gave another slow, unimpressed blink from atop Ben's crown.
Mereoleona crossed her arms, flames settling.
Charlotte straightened. Nebra's expression sharpened. Nozel stepped forward slightly.
The playful atmosphere was gone.
The war beneath the surface—Had just surfaced in full view.
The fires had dimmed. The undead were gone.
But the scars remained. Collapsed rooftops. Shattered streets. Broken homes.
Citizens stood among debris, uncertain whether to celebrate survival or mourn what was lost.
Ben looked over the damage quietly.
Then he turned to Julius Novachrono.
"Can you reverse the time for the buildings?" Ben asked calmly.
"Restore the infrastructure to how it was before the attack."
Julius blinked caught off guard by the request.
"…Oh?"
For a moment, genuine surprise crossed his face.
"Most people ask me to capture enemies," he said thoughtfully. "Or to defend."
He looked at the broken district.
"This is the first time someone's asked me to fix the city itself."
His smile softened.
"What an interesting idea."
He stepped forward.
Golden mana radiated outward in calm waves.
"Very well."
Julius raised his hand.
"Time Magic: Chrono Reversal Field."
Massive golden magic circles formed above multiple buildings at once—hovering like radiant halos in the night sky.
The air shimmered. Broken walls trembled.
Shattered glass pieces lifted from the ground. Bricks floated upward.
Beams realigned.
Time flowed backward—only for the structures.
Cracks sealed. Fire damage faded.
Collapsed roofs reconstructed plank by plank in reverse motion.
In mere seconds—Entire streets stood restored.
Whole.
As if the battle had never touched them.
Citizens stared in stunned silence.
"...."
"...."
"...."
Then—Cheers erupted.
"Long live the Wizard King!"
"Thank you!"
"Thank you for saving our homes!"
Julius laughed lightly, rubbing the back of his head in mild embarrassment.
-Haha!!!
"Oh dear, it's nothing, really."
But even he seemed pleased.
Beside him, Ben watched the capital stand renewed.
The buildings repaired. The people smiling again.
For tonight—
The Clover Kingdom stood intact.
And though shadows still lingered beyond its borders—Its heart remained unbroken.
Wizard King Palace...
Underground Interrogation Chamber...
Stone walls. Magic seals glowing faintly.
Four restrained figures stood in the center of the chamber, wrists bound by layered suppression cuffs that prevented mana flow.
Sally
Valtos
Heath Grice
Catherine
Their hands were restrained. Their grimoires sealed. Their options… limited.
Standing before them.
Julius Novachrono, calm as ever. His assistant Marx Francois, recording everything.
Ben, arms folded.
And perched atop his crown—Nero, eyes half-lidded and unimpressed.
"...."
Around them stood multiple captains and notable knights—Yami, Fuegoleon, Nozel, Charlotte, Dorothy, Jack, Rill, Kaiser—along with Asta, Yuno, Leopold, Nebra, and Noelle.
Only one captain was absent.
William.
"Out on a mission," his vice-captain had said before.
Julius stepped forward pleasantly.
"Now then. Let's have a calm discussion."
Before he could continue—
Sally leaned forward as much as her restraints allowed.
"Oooooh!" she chirped excitedly. "This is so thrilling!"
She looked around the chamber like a tourist in a museum.
Then her eyes locked onto Ben.
Her pupils sparkled.
"You!" she pointed enthusiastically with her chin since her hands were bound.
"Your transformation earlier! The ice one! And the red four-armed one! Which I saw at the illustration at the headquarter."
Ben felt a chill run down his spine.
"I've never seen biological restructuring like that before!" she continued rapidly.
"The mana conversion rate! The cellular mutation! The structural reassembly—!"
She leaned even closer.
"I'd love to dissect one of those forms and see what's inside!"
Silence.
Ben blinked caught off-guard.
-Blink
"…Excuse me?"
A very cold aura filled the room.
Three women moved at the same time.
"...."
"...."
"...."
Charlotte's mana flared.
Nebra's eyes sharpened.
Noelle stepped forward instinctively.
And before any of them could act—Nero launched from Ben's crown like a black missile.
-Bonk!
Her tiny beak struck Sally square on the head with surprising force.
"GYAH!"
Sally yelped, wobbling despite her restraints.
Nero landed back on Ben's crown immediately, staring down at Sally with absolute disdain.
'SPeek again and see what happens,' her eyes seemed to say.
Sally rubbed her head, pouting.
"Aww! I was just curious!"
Yami snorted looking at Sally.
"You've got guts saying that in front of all of them."
Leopold whispered to Asta,
"Why do I feel like she almost signed her own execution?"
Asta nodded seriously.
-Nod
"She totally did."
Julius cleared his throat gently.
-Cough -Cough
"Let's stay focused."
His eyes, though still kind, sharpened slightly.
"You were present at an underground base housing a magic stone slab."
Valtos stiffened hearing it.
Heath glared silently.
"...."
"...."
"...."
Catherine folded her arms, ash flickering faintly around her shoulders.
Julius' tone remained light—but the weight behind it was unmistakable.
"Tell us," he said, "how deep does this plan go?"
The chamber quieted.
Outside, the capital rested.
Inside—
The real battle had shifted to information.
Questions came.
Calm. Measured. Precise.
Julius Novachrono asked gently.
Marx recorded every pause.
Ben watched without speaking.
"...."
But no matter how the questions were phrased—The four remained silent.
"...."
"...."
"...."
Valtos closed his eyes in refusal.
Heath Grice glared defiantly.
Catherine scoffed quietly.
And even Sally, despite her excitement, clamped her mouth shut.
Loyalty. Fear. Or something deeper.
Julius sighed softly.
-Sigh
"Well… I suppose patience is also a form of strategy."
Ben's eyes narrowed slightly.
-Frown
'They're waiting,' he thought.
'For something.'
Deep Forest...
Secondary Eye of the Midnight Sun Base...
Far from the capital, hidden beneath twisted roots and ancient stone—
Another chamber burned with tension.
At its center stood Patolli, wearing the form of Licht.
An elf messenger knelt before him.
"The four humans have been captured… by the Wizard King."
Silence.
"...."
"...."
"...."
Then—Mana spiked.
The air trembled as Patolli's expression darkened.
His face flushed red with fury.
"…Captured?" he repeated, voice low.
The room seemed to shrink under the weight of his anger.
"They were pawns," another elf muttered carefully. "Replaceable."
Patolli's eyes flickered.
Replaceable. Yes. But useful.
Disposable pieces were meant to buy time—Not be taken intact by the enemy.
Another elf stepped forward, eyes burning with hatred.
"Then we strike," he said. "Directly."
The word hung heavy.
"Attack the King himself. They won't expect it so soon after tonight."
A bold suggestion. Reckless. Tempting.
Patolli stood still.
"...."
The Clover King had interfered. The Wizard King had captured assets. Their portal had been frozen and shattered.
They were being predicted.
"An attack on the capital again?" another voice asked cautiously.
"No," the bold elf replied. "Not the capital. The King."
Patolli's eyes narrowed. Ambush. Pressure.
Overwhelm before they could consolidate.
It was risky.
But if they hesitated—The balance would shift further.
He exhaled slowly.
"…Perhaps," Patolli murmured.
The room quieted.
"For once," he continued, "we take the initiative."
Golden mana flickered faintly around him.
"If we are to move," he said calmly, "then we move decisively."
The elves straightened. War was no longer a distant scheme. It was approaching collision.
And this time—The target would not be a city. It would be a king.
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(Author's POV)
(A/N)Thanks for reading the chapter!
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