Chapter 39: The Three Strikes to Slay a Mage

Having received a positive answer, Iluvia was in a good mood. "By the way, didn't Lady Flam return with you? Why don't I see her?"

"You didn't see her? Didn't she get off the train with me?" Roland was quite surprised. The station was filled with patrolling Royal Guards, who, in theory, were all Iluvia's eyes and ears. Furthermore, Flam and Kalia had left even before him, so why would Iluvia have missed them?

Seeing the confusion in Roland's eyes, Iluvia was left speechless. "Hey, she is a Ninth-Circle legendary mage, after all. If she doesn't want me to see her, do you really think I have a way to spot her?" She shook her head. "You usually have a sharp mind, so why do you always trip up on common sense?"

Roland offered an awkward laugh before explaining, "She took her student to the Royal Magic Academy to handle the enrollment procedures. You know, pulling some strings."

"Oh... I see. That witch named Kalia, right?" Iluvia’s gaze turned dangerous. She widened her eyes slightly and stared straight at Roland. To Roland, those beautiful purple eyes felt like two laser beams, as if they were about to pierce right through him.

However, Iluvia's scrutiny didn't last long, and she quickly changed the subject. "Speaking of which, you haven't handled your enrollment yet, have you?"

"Hmm... but didn't you have someone help me with that?"

"That's right. Considering the time, it should be about done. It’ll be ready by the time we walk over there."

"Uh... walk over?" Although Roland didn't know the exact location of the park within the capital, he knew where the academy was. It was located almost at the eastern edge of the city; if he tried to walk there on foot, he feared he wouldn't arrive until tomorrow.

"Walk to where the carriage is parked. It's just outside the park. Picking you up today has already taken up a lot of my time. My father’s health hasn't been good, and I’ve been handling a lot of matters recently." Iluvia looked at Roland. "Actually, those Royal Guards at the station weren't deployed specifically for you; I just had them help me intercept you. Be careful, Roland. The capital these days... is not as safe as you think."

Roland fell silent. *Thanks, I never thought this place was safe to begin with.* It seemed his plan to run away might need to be moved up. But before planning his escape, there was a question he wanted to ask Iluvia.

What kind of methods would it take to kill a Ninth-Circle legendary mage? What exactly did Flam encounter in the capital to have met her end here? They couldn't even find her body, nor could they confirm the cause of death.

"Iluvia, can I ask you a question?"

"No problem, provided I know the answer." Iluvia didn't refuse. She walked ahead of Roland, leading him out of the complex corners of the park toward where the carriage was parked, waiting for his question.

"If one wanted to kill a Ninth-Circle mage, what conditions would need to be met?"

"Thump!" Upon hearing the answer, Iluvia stepped on the hem of her long dress, stumbled, and nearly fell to the ground.

"Huh?" Having steadied herself, Iluvia wore a look of bewildered shock for the first time in front of Roland, much like Kalia’s usual expression.

"So, do you know?"

"What are you planning? You don't have a grudge against Lady Flam, do you?" Iluvia naturally associated the question with Flam. After all, based on the background check she had conducted on Roland, the only Ninth-Circle mage he had contact with was Flam. It was only logical to assume he had a grudge; otherwise, why would a Third-Circle minor mage be pondering such a question?

"Don't misunderstand. I have a very good relationship with Lady Flam. It's just pure curiosity."

Iluvia eyed Roland suspiciously. After confirming he didn't seem to be joking, she shared her insights. "Actually, it might not be as difficult as you think. There is a reason why mages and knights above the Seventh Circle are called 'transcendent.' The main manifestation is that they can directly borrow 'Great Source' mana for combat. Because of this, even warrior-class individuals who normally cannot cast spells can perform simple attacks. This doesn't even require training; once one steps into the Seventh Circle, the Great Source mana itself aligns with their will."

"However, unlike warriors who focus on physical training, mages don't change as drastically after becoming transcendent. Aside from having spells with greater power, lower consumption, and faster casting, the most precious thing a high-level mage gains is perhaps insight into the Great Source mana. Thus, they can develop many new types of spell-forms."

"Except for combat-specialized mages like you, most mages are incredibly fragile once they lose the protection of their spells. While the vast reserves of 'Small Source' mana provide mages with abundant vitality, giving them longer lifespans than warriors, if one is pierced through the heart, beheaded, or if their Small Source is destroyed—and the mage has no backup plan—death is all that awaits them."

After explaining the difference between those above and below the Seventh Circle, Iluvia gave the answer Roland was hoping for. "So, to kill a Ninth-Circle mage, it is simple in theory: you just need to ensure you can get close to them, that the target has prepared no defensive contingency, and most crucially, that they are rendered unable to use any spells. If you meet those three conditions, a small knife is all you need to kill a Ninth-Circle mage."

Roland fell silent. That was essentially saying nothing at all. Weren't those the three standard tactics for dealing with a mage? Close-quarters, ambush, and silence. Which serious mage could withstand that trinity?

Seeing Roland lost in thought, Iluvia reached out and tapped his head. "Alright, stop thinking about it. Even if you have a way to isolate the Great Source mana, the reserve of Small Source mana within the human body is still substantial. Besides, which Ninth-Circle mage would be foolish enough to let you meet those three conditions?"

*Right,* Roland thought. *How could Flam ever let anyone meet those three conditions?* Even if Flam were unable to use any spells and was ambushed at close range, surely she had survival contingencies? Having lived for a thousand years and fought the Demon King, it was impossible for her not to have a backup plan or to be unaware of a mage's weaknesses. Could it be that her defensive measures had failed?

Thinking back to what Iluvia said about the aging Emperor Salah III being in poor health, he knew the capital was about to descend into chaos. If the old Emperor were merely ill and would recover, that would be one thing, but if he were terminally ill... *tsk tsk, that would be quite a spectacle.*

"Hey, what are you spacing out for? Get in the carriage!" Iluvia stood before a high-end black carriage equipped with shock-absorbing springs and began to urge him.

"Coming, coming."