CHAPTER 143: THE FORBIDDEN CIRCLE

The second meeting between Dalmasca and Rosaria was held today, following the first one yesterday.

On the Dalmasca side, the attendees were the same as yesterday.

On the Rosaria side, in addition to Quintus and Aaron from the previous day, General Gabrant and Amal were also present.

Behind Amal stood Rex, as if guarding him.

King Jircniv and Gabrant both had dark circles under their eyes and looked pale.

It was clear they had not slept much.

The people of Dalmasca cast openly suspicious looks toward Amal, who clearly seemed out of place.

"Who is that man?" one of the noble candidates for minister finally asked.

Quintus gave a thin, nasty smile.

"He is Amal, once attached to General Libertus’s army, he’s in charge of supplies for the Twelfth Division of Blue Knight."

The reactions were mixed.

Some wore blank faces, not understanding what he meant.

Others suddenly remembered something.

And some grew visibly cautious.

Lord Chelmsford was one of those who grew cautious.

His expression hardened, but he said nothing, waiting to see how things would unfold.

"Blue Knight... wasn’t that the division that was said to have been completely wiped out?"

"Then it’s true—the ambush by Rosaria actually happened?"

The whispers passed quietly among the nobles.

"He is the living witness of that event," Quintus said firmly.

At his words, the murmuring crowd of Dalmasca nobles fell silent.

Feeling that he now controlled the room, Quintus laid down his trump card without hesitation.

"Recently, it was confirmed that Dalmasca used a forbidden ancient magic circle. The Blue Knight Division, along with the Red Knight Division that rushed to support them, were completely destroyed as victims of that circle. Amal here is the eyewitness. At that time, Rovacres was commanding our Dashtadem Fortress, and at his request, my Rosarian army held back the damage caused by the enlarged circle. The magic circle you deployed summoned an endless number of magical beasts from the demon world, and even expanded its area further and further. If it was left unchecked, sooner or later, not only Dalmasca but this entire continent would have been swallowed by the demon world."

A wave of shock spread through the room.

Clearly, most of them had not known the details to this extent.

Before any counterargument could be raised, Quintus gave a signal to Louis standing behind him.

Louis stepped forward and handed King Jircniv the deployment diagram of the magic circle and the order sheet, both discovered at the ruins of the Dalmasca army camp.

Jircniv’s eyes widened as he looked at them.

The two documents were quickly snatched up by others and passed around the room.

At that moment, Amal stood up.

All attention focused on him.

His body trembled with tension.

Rex stepped up beside him, as if to give him strength.

After swallowing his saliva hard, Amal began to speak about the horrifying scene he had witnessed.

No matter how many times it was told, it was always the same—terrible, merciless, and unforgettable.

The uncontrolled magic circle began to absorb the magic of the people in the camp and started expanding on its own.

The mages and soldiers who tried to regain control were caught by blue-purple vines, which devoured all their magic.

From the circle, countless magical beasts poured out, attacking the camp and slaughtering everyone.

Still unsatisfied, they spread toward the surrounding villages and forests.

The following divisions were also sacrificed in the same way.

As a result, the magic circle grew even larger, as if the demon world itself had broken into reality.

Overwhelmed by the crushing power of that magic, Amal himself had collapsed to the ground, unable to move.

"It was unbelievably terrifying," he said while his voice trembling. "It looked like hell itself. The circle, and the barrier around it, were enormous. Rosaria’s army destroyed it with their lives on the line. If they had not, I don’t dare imagine what would have happened. Even now, the thought terrifies me. That thing should never exist in this world. Never! It must never be allowed again!"

The words of someone who had lived through it carried a heavy weight.

The raw and vivid details made the men of Dalmasca grow paler and paler.

Some even looked sick.

Even King Jircniv seemed to be hearing this for the first time.

His face drained of all color, and the fists he clenched tightly trembled at his sides.

Quintus told Amal to sit down, then spoke in a firm, formal tone.

"Yesterday, the High Priest questioned Roaille, who was directly involved, and he has been confirmed every detail. Roaille himself confessed everything regarding this matter. If Amal’s words alone are not enough, I can bring Roaille here to testify again before you."

He let his gaze sweep across the Dalmasca delegation in a sharp, intimidating way.

Every face was terribly pale, as if they might faint at any moment.

Quintus raised his voice.

"Recently, in response to this use of a forbidden magic circle, our country sent an official protest and demanded accountability from your government. But we have received no reply. Since the government has now changed hands, I will ask again—what will Dalmasca’s response be?"

Then, he struck with another blow.

"If this forbidden act were to be made public, the Great Cathedral of St. Hagia in Nabradia, along with every other church in the world, would no doubt pursue the matter with harsh judgment."

Ah, their faces turned even worse now.

Quintus watched as they wiped the sweat pouring from their faces with handkerchiefs, their expressions stiff and twisted.

This was a different kind of fear, not the fear of the magic circle itself, but of something much greater.

The churchs worshiped the spirits who spread their power across the world.

The spirits were governed by the gods, who maintained the world’s existence.

That was the religious belief of this world.

The Great Cathedral of St. Hagia was the church of that god, the very center of the world.