Drawing Manga in a Romance Fantasy – Chapter 49

“Night vision.”

With just a short remark from Ustaf, the dim tunnel brightened up as if it were midday, illuminating the sight of the adventurers.

Everyone was inwardly impressed as their visibility in the thick darkness became crystal clear.

Normally, magic required a long and proper incantation to work its magic.

However, the more skilled the wizard, the shorter the spells got, with archmages potentially even using spell-less magic that didn’t require incantations at all.

That being said, slashing down spells or using spell-less magic usually resulted in effects weaker than those cast with the standard incantations.

But the night vision that Ustaf manifested with just a single word was way stronger than what a typical wizard would painstakingly conjure.

The members of the Imperial Intelligence Department felt it the most, having frequently encountered such magic before.

With regular night vision, you could at least see through the night, albeit blurred. But now, the pitch-black tunnel looked as bright as the surface.

Moreover, Harun, known as the best alchemist in the Empire, was also showing off his skills.

“I was worried about the many forks in the tunnel, but I never knew there was a way to deal with it like this.”

As the team was taken aback by the numerous paths they encountered, Harun quickly presented a solution.

He took a small vial from his pocket and sprayed a little at the entrances of the branches, leaving only one path shimmering with glimmering traces.

“This is a refined product of the Chaser Puma’s bodily fluids. They scatter their saliva as they track humans while hunting, so by using that, we can uncover traces of people like this.”

With the group staring at him in awe, Harun finally felt a bit proud of himself.

He had endured a fair bit of hardship whenever people asked to see alchemy after investigating incidents.

‘What kind of nickname does Harun have? Iron-Blooded? No, that’s too cliché—maybe the Alchemist of Light?’

Nope, just an alchemist.

When he answered that, the expressions of disappointment on their faces were hilarious.

And when they suspiciously asked why he couldn’t create the alchemical circle in thin air, he almost wept from the injustice.

Alchemy isn’t that kind of study!

It’s a practical study that researches and comprehends the principles of the world, not some summoning spell! He felt like he would go crazy holding back that thought.

‘Anyway, with the surge of new members joining the alchemy guilds all over the Empire, I guess I have to endure this humiliation.’

It used to be difficult to find people interested in studying alchemy, but since the release of “Iron-Blooded Alchemist,” news of skyrocketing memberships in various guild chapters had reached Harun.

He had decided to sit through this embarrassment because of it.

He even instructed the alchemists under his guild to make excuses, saying that the truth about alchemy was high-level knowledge they would learn later.

What if they find out the truth later?

If they made it to advanced-level alchemy, at that point, ten years would have flown by, so what then?

Using the unexpected stroke of luck while it lasts is what mattered.

Thanks to the efforts of Ustaf and Harun, however, the group soon witnessed horrific sights as they delved deeper into the tunnel.

The view of human corpses lying around, dried like mummies, was so disturbing even for the seasoned adventurers that it was hard to keep their emotions in check.

“I really hope I’m just imagining things.”

Everyone empathized with Ustaf’s murmured voice.

The more they investigated, the more they sensed that something terrible was unfolding, but wishing this was all just an illusion wasn’t something only Ustaf thought.

Shh.

Ustaf, leading the group, turned around and signaled for everyone to be quiet.

Following his orders, they held their breath, bracing for the worst.

Eventually, they found out precisely why Ustaf had signaled for silence.

“It’s been months since we dealt with these sacrifices. Damn it, I just want to hear some screams from the outside!”

“Shut it, Ustaf. You’re saying that after seeing Venom get wrecked by the cult leader today?”

“Hmph, what’s so hard about just going to a quiet village and taking the heads off commoners?”

The voices of the grunts chatting away grew closer.

From the content, they deduced that they were likely just lower-tier minions of the organization behind the scheme.

Ustaf quietly spread out his mana to gauge if there was anyone else nearby.

Before long, he realized it was just the two of them, so he silently gathered his hands.

At that moment, a vine made of earth shot up from the ground, quickly binding the two chattering idiots.

“Ummph!!!!”

They wanted to scream to alert others, but their mouths were already muffled by the thick earth vines.

“I’m not usually one to resort to cruelty, but it seems you won’t be so lucky this time. So if you drag this out, it’ll be on you to face the consequences.”

With a sinister expression, Ustaf slowly approached the tied-up figures.

While observing Ustaf’s menacing actions, the group exchanged hushed whispers.

“Isn’t that the alchemy from the Iron-Blooded Alchemist?”

“Oh, you thought of that too, huh?”

“I remember Harun saying such things didn’t exist, though?”

They were whispering among themselves, but since it was so quiet, Ustaf heard every word.

Harun earnestly wished to escape from this investigative team.

*

“Keep this place under strict vigilance!”

“Yes! We shall ensure its protection!!!”

The troops moved in perfect unison at the Crown Prince’s orders.

Even though they were hastily assembled forces patrolling surrounding territories, their command was impressive nonetheless.

After all, none would dawdle in front of the Crown Prince, who was to be the next emperor.

“Is this area Ustaf pinpointed the final location?”

“Yes, Your Highness. We’ve completed the placements, so it’s time for you to return to the palace.”

“Stop. You think they follow these orders just because I’m here?”

“However, if enemies show up here…”

“Then even more reason to stay. Surely, no one would run away with the Crown Prince around, right?”

Sighing, the knight commander Cross had to concede to Alex’s words.

‘His Highness has changed.’

He used to be a bit of a hot-head, and when he threw a tantrum, it seemed temporary.

But now, he had to acknowledge it.

The Crown Prince had definitely changed.

If it were the old him, he would have begged to be let out of such a troublesome task.

Now, even when asked whether he would like to go back, he insisted on staying for the mission’s success; it was almost foreign behavior.

When he sent a servant to contact the capital, using an excuse that they wouldn’t be of much help, it was astonishment-worthy.

In truth, servants typically didn’t have much of a role in battles and could even be sacrificed, revealing a sense of consideration in sending them away.

‘When on Earth did he grow so much?’

Cross, loyal as ever as the Knight Commander, only wished to serve.

Seeing his Lord getting maligned was always disheartening.

Though he intimately knew his character was not bad, the outside world seemed oblivious, which was frustrating.

This young man, once again issuing orders to himself in unexpectedly altered form, was something he’d been waiting for all along.

He wanted to protect the Crown Prince, come what may, and show everyone just how noble he had become.

This truly is the future Emperor of the Empire.

*

“NO!!! This can’t be happening!”

A scream erupted from Princess Ioleen Bell’s chamber.

In the past, such outbursts would have been unthinkable; however, they had occurred repeatedly lately. Inside the palace, the servants treated it as just another day.

Of course, Head Maid Aiden suspected it was always about Rupert, but recently, after “that incident,” nothing seemed awry, so he remained on standby.

The uprising termed the “Third Prince’s Rebellion” had just happened.

Could it be that the princess would express her anger? Everyone worried, but Ioleen remained strangely quiet.

Aiden had thought perhaps this was a bit overboard, as the princess would usually reprimand him for such matters. Yet, her silence was, in truth, unsettling.

“Aiden, weren’t elixirs brought by the elves as a gift during our exchange?”

The princess’s voice suddenly shattered Aiden’s meaningless thoughts.

As if she hadn’t just screamed, she stepped out through her door, asking him.

Elixir?

When that term slipped from the princess’s lips, Aiden felt his mind turn to stone.

One of the treasures the elves produced with rare materials and time.

The legend claimed that just one vial of elixir could resurrect even a dying person.

A supreme treasure, the royal family owned only five vials in total!

So, why on earth was she asking about it now?

Worried she might be unwell, he checked her, but aside from a slightly haggard appearance, she seemed perfectly alright.

Royal family members undergo weekly check-ups by the best doctors of the Empire, and the church sends high-ranking clergymen for blessings—there was no way they could be unwell.

He suppressed his doubts and replied to her question.

“Yes, I believe so.”

“I recall it being stored in the royal vault.”

“Indeed, Your Highness.”

The princess seemed anxious, biting her nails nervously.

Not only that, but she muttered something incomprehensible, wearing a gravely serious expression.

Aiden sensed something was off.

“Your Highness, are you feeling unwell?”

“…No, no. But the elixirs, they should have a shelf life, shouldn’t they?”

“I can’t say for sure, but I’ve never heard of an elixir having an expiration date.”

The princess’s expression slightly relaxed at Aiden’s words.

– The royal vault key is only in Father’s possession… Should I just tell him directly? No, but still, an elixir…

Aiden keenly picked up on the slightest mutterings from her, something was clearly brewing.

‘Is she planning to go into the royal vault?’

For some reason, the princess seemed to need an elixir.

Feeling as if he was missing a crucial link, Aiden furrowed his brow, puzzled.

“Aiden, please summon the royal physician. I need to ask him something.”

“I shall obey your command.”

As he witnessed the princess making her orders, appearing as if nothing had happened, returning to her room.

Aiden was certain that something was amiss.