The Great Mage Returns After 4000 Years (Web Novel KR)

Hector scoffed.

“There’s no need for your empty words, what’s the situation?”

“…the outskirts of the city are basically destroyed at this point. I intend to send a rescue team, but I don’t have much hope that they will find any survivors. Fortunately, there haven’t been any reports of undead in the heart of the city, so I decided to have everyone evacuate to the city square first and then build a barricade.”

“A barricade? I think that would be useless.”

“Most of the undead that appeared are only low level. It should be enough to last about an hour.”

“…just low level undead? Diablo himself didn’t come?”

Hector’s question was valid.

He knew how terrible Diablo’s personal army of undead was. If even 10 percent of that force appeared in this city, then the barricades would amount to nothing.

But if all the undead that had appeared in the city were low level, then it was possible that Diablo himself might not have come personally.

“No. Diablo might still be here. He has already consumed most of his elite army. So it’s highly likely that the only undead he can currently mobilise are the low level ones currently in the city.”

When Peran said this in a confident tone, Hector tilted his head to the side.

“This is my first time hearing about this. Where did you hear that from?”

“That…”

If he were to tell the truth then he would inevitably have to mention Snow.

When Peran trailed off at the end of his word, Hector let out a soft chuckle.

“It’s fine if you can’t tell us the reason. We’ll believe your words for now.”

“Thank you.”

“…then back to what you were saying about building a barricade. As you said, it would only be able to buy us time. At most, it would only mean that they will die a few hours later.”

Asilla’s eyebrows twitched slightly at the cynical remark.

“Then do you have a better plan?”

“I can’t say that it’s better, but I do have a plan.”

“Let’s hear it.”

“You know that there is also a warp stone in this city as well, don’t you?”

“…it’s covered in dust. That piece of junk can’t be used.”

“If it’s broken, I can fix it.”

That wasn’t a lie.

If it was Hector, he would probably be able to fix it in a matter of minutes. That was a fact that she admitted, albeit reluctantly.

“What would you do about the mana required to power it?”

“I have dozens of golem cores. There’s a lot of ME sleeping inside them. We also have a Great Wizard here, don’t we?”

Despite Hector’s unstoppable words, Asilla’s expression did not become better.

After all, the most important issue still existed.

“…there are 100,000 people in Yuterdam…”

Hector’s expression shifted a bit when he heard that.

“Even if I take the damage we’ve already suffered and the future into account, the number of survivors wouldn’t fall below 60,000 or 70,000. It would be impossible to move them all with the warp stone.”

“Naturally, even if we use all of my cores and all of Peran’s mana, we would only be able to operate the warp stone a dozen times or so at best. Even if we packed the warp stone every time we used it, we would probably only be able to move around 100 people.”

“In other words, you’re saying that we would only be able to save 10 percent of our population?” (PR: 10% of 60,000 is 6,000… 100 x 12 is 1200… Try 2%, math is hard lol)

Hector also frowned when he heard Asilla’s sarcastic tone.

“What’s with that look on your face? Do you really think I want to throw them away?”

“This… is my city.”

“I know that.”

“The people you’re suggesting I leave behind are my people.”

“So?”

“…perhaps we can find another-”

“Asilla Goldiroth.”

For the first time since he entered the room, Hector spoke in a cold voice as he called her full name.

“It seems your old way of thinking hasn’t changed. Have you already forgotten why your people perished?”

“…”

“Cut what needs to be cut, and throw away what needs to be thrown away. That is one of the truths I learned over the past few thousand years.”

Crunch.

The sound of Asilla quietly gritting her teeth filled the room. The atmosphere in the room froze in an instant.

Despite Hector’s rebuke, Asilla was still hesitating on making a decision.

It was at this moment that Peran, who had been silent the entire time, finally opened his mouth again.

“Why is Diablo aiming for Yuterdam?”

“That… probably because he wants the black box that I have.”

“Do you mean the black box you showed us earlier?”

“Right.”

“…”

If they gave Diablo that box, there was a chance he might retreat.

Well, no one actually believed that possibility. If Diablo had wanted to talk in the first place, he would not have summoned an undead army.

“…that box, where is it now?”

Nevertheless, the fact that the box was a key item that had great significance in the current situation couldn’t be denied.

“I don’t have it.”

There was a hint of a sigh in Asilla’s voice.

“Because I already gave it to Iris.”

* * *

“Kuk…”

Blood gushed from his slit back.

It could be considered fortunate that the blade hadn’t reached his spine, but that didn’t mean that the wound wasn’t fatal.

Iris hurriedly tried to stop the bleeding and close the wound using black magic, but the effect was insignificant.

“Why… I…”

She forcibly suppressed her rising doubts.

The reason this man used his body to protect her, Diablo’s goal… and even the appearance of an undead Lucid.

There were a lot of questions she wanted to know the answers for, but now wasn’t the time to think about that.

0

“I can’t…”

The blood wouldn’t stop flowing.

She wasn’t using much black magic, but if she were to increase the output, it might cause the opposite effect from what she wanted. He might die immediately.

Then… What should she do?

At this rate, this man would die.

When she thought of that fact, for some reason, it made her feel strangely anxious. She could also taste blood on her lip where she bit it too hard.

She didn’t understand. Why was she so upset?

Was it because this man had saved her? It was true that she never expected it and that she was grateful and sorry for him.

However, even so, it shouldn’t affect her this much.

Even if Sheryl, her most loyal subordinate at this point, were in a similar state, she would not be more flustered than usual.

—You still dislike unexpected situations.

—But… I’m glad you didn’t get hurt.

She still remembered the words Lukas left before he collapsed.

At that moment, it felt like something was stuck in her throat. She felt like if she opened her mouth now, she might cry.

This couldn’t be happening. No way.

This wasn’t like her.

Iris shook her head.

Woowoong-

Suddenly, she felt a vibration from her bag.

Opening it, Iris slowly pulled something out and held it in front of her.

“This…”

It was the black box she got from Asilla.

It was rattling and trembling as if it was alive.

Just as Iris tried to touch it with her finger.

Swoosh-

She felt a presence nearby.

Instantly going on alert, Iris quickly turned around.

But it wasn’t Diablo or Lucid standing behind her.

“You…”

The person standing behind her was a woman, but her gaze was not on Iris.

Her eyes, which were shaking with agitation, were looking at something else.

To be precise, they were looking at Lukas, who was laying on the ground.