I regressed and became the Sword Ice King - Chapter 483

Capítulo 483: Chapter 483- Outside the Barrier

A bespectacled beauty with black hair and eyes stood in the presence of the Kingdom’s High ranking priority with a stern gaze.

Her red lips glistened softly with the sun’s rays, and her accentuated curves seemed to fight the little amount of clothes she put on.

With a trench coat over leather mini-shorts and a sleeveless button-down high-low blouse, cropped just above her navel.

Her hair was tied in a high ponytail while her arms were folded neatly across her bosom.

With her mind occupied with the events that had played out, she had failed to notice the movement from behind her.

“Lady Martha.”

Martha Merlin, Lieutenant to the Merlin Household, and Tower Master of the World’s BattleMage Tower– the Red Tower, glanced behind with a slight frown.

“Hah… Chief Advisor, I had assumed you had left with the rest.”

Her lips greeted the young man with a smile as he approached her.

Time had gone by, and from the weak rays transcending through the Blue Skies, it was now Late Noon.

The Castle Compound was empty, except for the Prominent figures who stayed behind. Figures who meant something– or took positions that could aid the current predicament.

Most of the gathered figures were people with ties of conflict rather than friendship with one another.

Households which could have easily waged war during a scenario that presented itself.

And with the Household Heads and even the King gone, for what felt like a significant time. That moment was now.

Yet, even as they stood apart on the empty courtyards of the Castle, they did none of such.

Their Heads were turned to one direction… the Dome of Blood which stood in an appalling position. Screaming its literal existence to the world.

It was this object of catastrophe– a reckoning of such, that had ironically held this band of unpredictable and conflicting hearts together.

Amongst them was Martha Merlin, together with some delegates– powerful Mages from the Merlin Household.

She had been called upon to inspect the Barrier that blocked them from passage, and at the moment, she was searching for answers.

But so far, she had found no luck.

“How is it?” Redrick Jafar asked with a sigh as he turned to the rising veil of opaque crimson. A vast semi-spherical blanket that hindered their entry to the ones trapped within it.

“Do we have a way of breaking through?”

Martha Merlin shook her head slowly as she turned back at it.

Her gaze narrowed as she adjusted her glasses.

“If it were that easy, then the Merlin Household would have handled this case long ago.”

Her reply was lethargic and uncharismatic.

Not an ounce of interest in her words.

Rodrick had easily seen through her words, but it meant nothing to the Young Advisor.

“I realise that the Merlin do not take public matters into their hands.”

He turned back to the people who stood in wait.

“But you’re not the only one. Despite their dislike in matters like this, all the other Households have their delegates present, despite not wanting to be here.”

Then he glanced at her.

“You’re not the only one who is upset about the situation.”

Martha yawned.

“Speak as you like, Advisor, but the situation doesn’t change despite our numbers.”

She scoffed.

“And I’m clearly the only one who is needed. What can the others truly do?”

Redrick Jafar frowned deeply as he clasped his hands behind his back.

Inwardly, he was aware of her importance.

After all, there was no better family than the Merlins when it came to deciphering spells, breaking them and casting them themselves.

They could copy, modify and produce new spells and they had the High mana reserves for it.

As the Younger sister, and the second in command to the Witch of the West, it was clear who was the next person when it came to Magic in the world.

‘And situations like that should have made them lax.’

Redrick heaved silently.

‘But it’s the opposite.’

The further their names spread, the more capable and extraordinary they became.

‘Perhaps that’s the reason for their pride.’

“I admit that your concerns are justifiable, but your lack of results at the moment will make you lose face.”

Martha’s brows furrowed.

“You should worry more about the safety of the Heads and the King, than something measly like doing all the work.”

Martha’s gaze flickered for a second.

The only facial response that presented itself after hearing his words.

A moment of silence lingered between them, before Martha took a step closer to the Barrier.

“You make a valid point.”

And she got back to inspecting the Dome.

By getting close enough so that her hands reached it without actually touching the surface, she was able to project her mana onto it.

In that motion, the mana suffused the air, gliding between the Dome and her body.

It phased through her, reaching her mana pathways and sending the necessary impulses to her mana heart and brain.

From the indications, she could tell exactly what type and amount of energy she was dealing with, as well as the anchor that kept the Veil alive.

So far, it had been the same– the conflicting particles of Dark Mana.

A rare breed amongst the variants of mana with a high chance of explosion when injected or released the wrong way.

Martha read it exactly as she did before.

Seconds later and she was done.

Redrick, who had been standing behind, watched her closely for a while.

Waiting patiently in the silence between them.

But a response never came, and quite frankly, he didn’t need one.

‘Another bust, huh…’

He frowned as he raised his head to the sky.

Narrowing his focus on the top of the Malevolent Dome.

‘What now…’ He thought to himself.

An exasperated sigh escaped his lips and he shook his head.

‘Will I be unable to help my King?’

He was lost in a bind, and clearly– so were Martha and the figures behind them.

It had seemed like the only option left was to wait.

To patiently hold their fortress until one of the Heads or all of them find their way out, themselves.

That was an entirely plausible occurrence, but–

‘It’s been hours… 4 at most.’

Nothing should have been able to hold a group of Grand Masters, Mages and powerful individuals for that long.

Of course, unless it was capable of doing such.

His expression loosened its firmness and a pained frown took its place.

‘What do we do… what do we do?’

At that moment, as if sensing the disparity of the room, a Portal boomed to life in their midst.

Behind Martha and the Chief Advisor, below the stairways, in the courtyard where the Delegates waited.

Everyone jumped to alertness at the given second.

Some armed and many cautioned enough to strike at a second’s notice.

But their sharp response was not rewarded as a peculiar, blue-haired woman walked out with a grin on her face.

The air changed instantly.

Redrick, who stood further away, had flared his eyes on recognising her, but the woman beside him openly clicked her tongue in annoyance.

“Fiona Jun.”

Fiona stood in the midst of the gathered individuals with a demeanour that screamed confidence and hidden strength.

Her portal hummed in the air as it disappeared with a gust of wind.

Settling a calm that was almost choking in the air.

Fiona glanced around with intrigue before landing her gaze on a young man with golden hair.

Besides him were a Maid and knights in black armour.

The Northern Knights of the Jun Household. Men of the cold.

She nodded once at the Fallen Prince, Thylan Swanstorm and the current Lieutenant, and Husband to the Head of the Jun Household.

The young prince bowed slowly before walking towards her.

Fiona, on the other hand, had soon lost her interest in the people around her and was now staring at the Blood Barrier.

Her lips tugged slightly.

Intrigue played coy with her expression before she took heavy steps forward.

“Hah, I greet the Great Houses.”

She announced before reaching the stairs.

The Delegates nodded with silent expressions.

Watching the scene unfold like a play.

“Lady Fiona, we were not expecting your presence.”

Fiona glanced at Redrick Jafar.

“Hah, you… Who were you again?” She asked with a calm smile as she walked past him.

The Chief Advisor clenched his teeth as his gaze traced her movement.

“Regardless of your joke, we had limited entry to House Officers, only.”

Fiona whistled playfully.

“But I wasn’t joking, though.”

She glanced at Martha.

“Heyyoh, Martha, how are you?”

Martha Merlin rolled her eyes with a deep frown.

“Do not speak to me like we are friends. I have warned you, constantly.”

“Aw, don’t be like that.” She giggled as she turned to the Dome.

“Dark Mana, huh?”

Martha flinched slightly.

Adamant to respond… but her keen senses had long been rewired since the day she met Fiona Jun for the first time.

Fiona had always been an elusive presence.

One who hardly made herself known, unless she needed to.

And so were her skills as a Mage.

Despite knowing this, she still stood silent. Unresponsive.

Fiona arched her brow in realising this and turned to her.

“Two heads are better, Martha.

Drop that nasty pride and help me save my sister…”

She turned to the Dome, once more.

“If saving yours doesn’t mean as much, then be silent.”

Martha froze.

A choked gasp escaped her lips in the next second before she broke like a lamp.

“Yes, it’s dark mana… and a lot of it too.”

“Hm… then it must be extremely unstable… the wavelengths should be all over the place.”

She folded her arms and hummed in contemplation.

While the Chief Advisor hung behind them in bewilderment.

‘Di– Did she just ignore me?’

He took a step forward, arms stretched and ready to start a war if he had to

When–

“Hah, we can work with this…” Fiona boomed with excitement.

Martha arched her brow.

Speechless and curious.

“What?”

Fiona held her chin softly as she said.

“With your help of course…we can break this Dome open.”