At the same time, in the conference room of Edolas royal capital.
"Heh heh, just as the legends say, it has been confirmed that the wizards from Earthland all possess magic within their bodies."
Seated around a long table were all the Magic Warfare Squad captains except for Erza Knightwalker, along with the Kingdom's Supreme Commander, Noel, and two elderly men—six people in total.
The first to speak was a short, wrinkled old man, the trusted advisor of the Edolas king and the kingdom's chief strategist—Byro.
"Hmm, just like the Exceeds," mused the fourth Magic Warfare Squad captain, Sugarboy, who had yellow hair and wore pink armor, rubbing his chin with interest.
"But this magic power cannot be compared to that of the Exceeds."
"So, does that mean that girl named Lucy also has magic inside her?" asked Coco, an energetic young girl standing to the side, her curiosity piqued.
"It should be," someone replied.
"Wouldn't it be a waste to kill her?" questioned Hughes, the captain of the Third Magic Warfare Squad.
In the magic-starved world of Edolas, every bit of magic was precious.
Now that a person with considerable magic power was imprisoned, Hughes found it a waste to simply execute her, given his values regarding the importance of magic.
"That won't do."
The man who had been sitting at the head of the table with his eyes closed finally opened them.
Edolas' king, Faust, spoke expressionlessly:
"The Queen of the Exceeds, Shagotte, has already issued the order for her elimination."
"The Queen's order?"
"We cannot defy the Exceeds."
"What a waste… damn it."
Upon hearing Faust's words, those seated at the table showed expressions of helplessness.
The Exceeds in Edolas were regarded as angels, and their queen, Shagotte, was seen as a divine being.
To the people of Edolas, an order from the Queen of the Exceeds was an absolute decree that could not be defied—except for one person...
"Hmph, a bunch of worthless fools."
Edolas Noel, who had been sitting idly with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them, a cold glint flashing through his gaze. "They're just a bunch of winged, self-important cats, and yet they've already scared you all to this extent?"
"Noel, silence! Do not utter such blasphemous words again," Faust warned with a sharp glance.
Although everyone present harbored resentment toward the Exceeds and was well aware of Noel's personality, they still had to maintain a certain level of respect.
Edolas Noel did not respond, but the mocking smirk on his lips remained.
"...Even if we set that matter aside, with our current technology, it's still impossible to extract magic from the human body," said Chief Advisor Byro after a brief silence, choosing to steer the conversation elsewhere.
Pantherlily, the captain of the First Magic Warfare Squad, asked, "Then, what should we do with the two Dragon Slayer wizards?"
"They are both human and yet not human. If the experiment succeeds, we can obtain a near-endless supply of magic power…"
"Amazing!" Hughes muttered to himself excitedly.
As someone obsessed with magic-powered amusement rides, nothing thrilled him more than the idea of an infinite magic supply.
Faust nodded in approval. "Very well. Byro, begin immediately."
"Understood!"
"As a precaution, the extraction of magic power from the Earthland magic crystals must also be expedited," Faust added after some thought.
"Understood," Byro responded.
..........
The brief meeting quickly concluded, with Hughes, Sugarboy, and Byro exiting the conference room.
Only the King of Edolas, Faust, along with Noel and the First Magic Warfare Squad Captain, Pantherlily, remained.
"You have something to say, Pantherlily?" Faust asked.
"Your Majesty, Prince Noel, regarding the recent military reinforcements..." Pantherlily began, but upon seeing Faust's grim expression, his heart sank.
Realizing he would not receive an answer, he shook his head helplessly and cut himself off. "...Never mind. I'll take my leave."
Once Pantherlily left the room, Edolas Noel finally opened his eyes.
"Old man, why did you keep me here?"
Faust's expression remained dark as he stared at Noel. "The plan is progressing smoothly. I don't care what schemes you have, but during this time, I will not allow any accidents."
"Oh? I wonder if I misheard just now—are you threatening me?"
A heavy killing intent flashed through Noel's sky-blue eyes as his lips curled into a cold smirk.
His gaze turned chillingly sharp as he locked eyes with Faust.
An overwhelming aura of murderous intent surged from his body, instantly dropping the temperature in the conference room to freezing levels, making it feel as though one had fallen into an icy abyss.
"N-No... that's not what I meant. This kingdom will belong to you sooner or later. What I said also aligns with your best interests, doesn't it?" Faust stammered.
Seeing Noel's half-smiling yet menacing expression, he suddenly felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head, sending a shiver down his spine.
His tone involuntarily softened, and he even averted his gaze, unable to meet Noel's piercing stare.
Noel let out a disdainful sneer. "A guy who doesn't even dare to secretly resist the Exceed dares to come up with this plan? You really are 'brave.'"
Faust's face flushed red.
He understood that Noel was mocking his cowardice.
However, as someone in a high position, he quickly regained his composure and stiffly replied, "In this kingdom, you are the only one unafraid of the Exceed. As king, I must consider the lives of my subjects."
"Tch." Noelle scoffed through his nose in contempt before standing up.
"Whatever. In any case, this plan happens to align with my interests as well, so naturally, I won't let anything go wrong."
With that, Edolas Noel turned and walked away, leaving Faust standing there, his face shifting between pale and flushed with frustration.
As Noel stepped out of the conference room, his gaze immediately landed on a blue-haired girl waiting outside.
"Ophelia, what is it?"
"Prince Noel, I came to report—just now, the Noel from Earthland and his companions attacked the plaza, seized the magic crystal there, and seem to be heading in the direction of the royal palace."
Edolas Noel narrowed his eyes, a cold smirk appearing on his lips as he looked at Ophelia. "You were at the scene at that time, weren't you? Why didn't you stop them?"
"I do not believe I have the strength to stop Earthland Noel's actions," Ophelia responded softly, her expression unchanged in the face of Edolas Noel's questioning.
"What a grand-sounding excuse," Noel sneered.
"I'll let it slide this time. I wasn't expecting you to fight with all your might to help me anyway. But since the 'me' from Earthland is heading toward the palace, it would be far too rude if I didn't go and greet him—hahaha!"
Without paying Ophelia any further attention, Edolas Noel let out a cold laugh and walked away.
............
Inside the Edolas Royal Capital Prison.
With her hands bound by magic-restricting silk, Lucy sat idly in her cell, with nothing to do.
Her mind drifted to the knowledge recorded in Edolas' books, and she muttered to herself:
"Happy and Carla belong to a race called the Exceed. In this world, the Exceed are revered like angels, and their queen, Shagotte, is considered a god. The words of the Exceed Queen must be obeyed absolutely. If she declares someone must die, that person must die… How absurd. This rule is completely unreasonable."
"Oh~? It sounds like you've done a thorough job learning about this world," a voice suddenly interrupted.
Lucy flinched slightly in surprise and turned toward the source of the voice.
Standing outside the cell was a young woman with long, crimson-red hair, watching her with a playful expression.
--------------
Exclusive access : All novel on paetron
Genshin impact Complete novel, Naruto birdcage Complete novel, Overlord Complete novel
From the apocalypse 100+ch, Fairy tail Destiny 200+ch, Genshin Impact Eerie Teyvat 100+ch
Join now : patreon*com/DeCakraWnloverz