CHAPTER 80: DEFENSIVE BARRIER

Velastra Research Facility, 3rd Floor, Room 1A

A low hum filled the air as the stacked magic formation began to spin faster, its runes glimmering with a faint crimson glow.

The entire room felt as if it were being compressed, the pressure growing unbearable.

Leonard’s shirt clung to his skin from the sheer weight of the mana in the air, but his gaze remained calm. He was unfazed by the sudden change in the room and Caroline’s aggressive action.

His body may have trembled slightly in the process, but it didn’t stem from fear. Instead, it stemmed from his restraint to wait in his position to see how Mirelle would behave and what Caroline intended to do.

"Mirelle, move aside," Caroline warned. "I’ll go easy on him. He won’t even die with the Restoration Potion."

To prove her claim, Caroline then retrieved a few vials from her Magic Dimension.

In response to the situation, Mirelle gritted her teeth.

"You don’t understand what you’re doing. He’s not some ordinary person." She argued, hesitation colored her face. She wanted to reveal Leonard’s true identity to calm Caroline down, but dared not because there was no permission for it.

Mirelle knew the incident caused by Claudia had soured his mood deeply. If she were to make a major mistake, then Leonard would vent all his fury upon Claudia.

’Ugh, I should have made it clear with some actions to warn her not to make such a rash action.’ Mirelle was frustrated that her concern over Claudia’s health had inadvertently caused this situation to erupt.

Caroline narrowed her eyes in suspicion. She didn’t understand what was going on with Mirelle. Amidst her confusion, the magic formations fully activated when she was distracted by her friend’s behavior.

Crack!

While the threatening magic formations were activated, a golden shimmer suddenly burst from beneath Leonard’s feet.

A thin but solid defensive barrier quickly shrouded around him. It had triggered automatically, its origin unknown to even him.

’When did I have a defensive barrier around me?’ Leonard was a bit taken aback. Since this was technically his first real danger as opposed to the past encounters he had dealt with, the defensive barrier had never activated until now.

With the defensive barrier’s appearance, the collision of energies between the barrier and Caroline’s magic formations caused the entire room to tremble.

"A reactive shield of the eighth level? Who are you really?" Caroline’s eyes widened slightly.

’Eighth level?’ Upon hearing Caroline’s exclamation, Leonard quickly deduced that the defensive barrier must have been placed by Spencer. After all, Spencer was the only Eighth Magic Circle Mage that Leonard knew of.

Nevertheless, he kept an indifferent expression and responded to Caroline’s question. "Just a certified gold merchant who wishes to do business and not some violent act."

Caroline rolled her eyes and scoffed in response.

No violent act?

Then what was that public torture scene about? Was it not considered a violent act simply because the woman he tortured was a slave?

Despite feeling disgusted, for the first time, doubt crept into her expression as she became wary of Leonard’s identity. A certified gold merchant from the guild was indeed not trivial in status, but they still shouldn’t be able to have a reactive shield of the eighth level.

As the defensive shield continued to hold on, showing zero signs of fracturing, Caroline knew she had severely underestimated her target.

She realized a more threatening attack was required, especially one that could penetrate or pierce through shields. Soon, her hands began to move once again, and the fluctuation around her began to flicker.

Yet before she could launch the next spell, Mirelle shouted.

"That’s enough!"

A pulse of water mana then erupted from her, forming a dome between them.

The dome pushed Caroline back slightly, just enough to stop her momentum.

It was also at this moment that Caroline began to realize this wasn’t just some certified gold merchant.

’A fake identity? But what kind of power must one hold to be capable of creating this fake status?’ Suddenly, Caroline recalled the announcement a few days ago. It was stated that the newly crowned prince of Aldros would be coming to the city.

’Is he really him?’ Her pupils constricted, her gaze shifted between Mirelle and Leonard.

"Seems like this reactive shield of mine did more harm than good." Leonard shook his head and said. He reckoned her sudden change of tempo and behavior meant that his disguise was exposed.

After all, an eighth-level defensive barrier wasn’t something any ordinary person could receive, even if they held the status of a certified gold merchant.

Not to mention, there was also the fact that this disguise spell happened to be researched by Caroline, according to Mirelle’s explanation.

To summarize, Caroline had long known about him being in disguise. It was just that she didn’t know who he was exactly until all these extra clues came up.

"You must have realized why your friend is so adamant in protecting me now, right?" He asked calmly.

Caroline remained silent, but the silence was enough as a response.

Her expression was indifferent, but her body movement betrayed her supposed aloofness.

Gone was the furious and agitated state. Instead, it was replaced with a somewhat nervous and dreadful state.

Caroline’s eyes shifted to Mirelle, who promptly nodded her head. They were all clever people here and didn’t need to say it aloud.

"I don’t get it. Didn’t they say the Crown Prince is seasick and currently residing at the Royal Velastra Hotel?" Caroline pursed her lips. Her question was meant to shift the topic, or mainly her action against the Crown Prince of Aldros.

"I’ve heard Mirelle say you’re an eccentric and gentle person. But from the earlier action, I don’t see where the gentleness is at." Leonard said.

"Rather than worrying about what others say, you should begin to worry about your future." He continued. Even if he didn’t wish to seek punishment, the same could not be said for those who were secretly protecting him.

With the defensive barrier activated, Leonard feared his people might have been alerted. ’Hopefully, they don’t sound the alarm and inform everyone that I’m here.’