Aside from Charles, the others quickly realized how dire the situation in the plaza was.
Honestly, just getting into this plaza didn't help solve the problem much.
Twenty ordinary people with assault rifles weren't that difficult to deal with. Stella alone could likely handle them all.
But the tricky part was the presence of numerous hostages. Using high-powered techniques risked harming them.
Not to mention, the Apostle's abilities were still unknown, which was a major concern.
Worse still, the disciples had formed a tight circle around the hostages, and every safety on their rifles had already been disengaged.
This wasn't a question of whether they might hurt the hostages—they would, the moment they were provoked.
Ikki frowned. "This really is the worst-case scenario."
Shizuku spoke up. "Don't worry, Onii-sama. Leave it to me!"
Charles looked over. The best method he'd come up with involved revealing his hidden power to take out everyone in one blow. But if Shizuku had a viable plan, he was more than willing to listen.
Shizuku said confidently, "I'm confident in my magic control. I can cast a barrier around the hostages while keeping it hidden from view.
Once they're protected, those guys won't be able to use them as shields—and then they'll be no match for you, Onii-sama!"
Charles nodded. Compared to brute force, Shizuku's solution was far more elegant and controlled.
Ikki was amazed. "You can really do something like that, Shizuku?!"
Charles chimed in, "Told you—magic control is crucial. Now you understand, don't you?
Let's go with Shizuku's plan. As soon as the barrier is up, Ikki, Stella, and I will charge in. I'll take the Apostle, you two handle the rest.
Alice, you stay in the rear and support us. If anything goes wrong, we're counting on you."
Everyone nodded and prepared for battle.
Shizuku knelt, placing her hands on the ground. Charles felt only the faintest ripple of energy, but couldn't sense anything clearly.
So this was the control of an A-rank mage—being able to activate a Blazer's ultimate technique without so much as a whisper.
As Shizuku worked on deploying the barrier, the others quietly observed the plaza's situation.
But, as always—just when you expect no surprises, one occurs.
"Don't hurt my mommy!"
A little boy, holding a melting ice cream cone, threw it at a Rebellion disciple's pants.
It wasn't even a real attack, but it was enough to enrage a terrorist.
The disciple's expression twisted with fury as he looked at the cream stain. "You lowly human scum dare defile an honored citizen of the New World like me?!"
He raised his rifle and aimed it at the child.
A frail-looking but heavily pregnant woman rushed over and shielded the boy in her arms—clearly his mother, with a baby sibling likely still in her womb.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! He's just a child—please forgive him!"
"Hey, Yakin! What are you doing?" the Apostle in the black-and-gold ceremonial coat barked. "I told you—no killing hostages! Are you disobeying me?"
The disciple broke into a cold sweat. "M-Mr. Smile, it was the brat… he threw ice cream at me…"
Charles knew of Smile. Though not one of Rebellion's Twelve Apostles, he had orchestrated multiple mass killings and was a top-level wanted criminal under the League's bounty system.
And Smile quickly lived up to his reputation.
"Well, that's quite troublesome," he said with a sickening grin. "People should take responsibility for their actions. Guilt deserves punishment—and punishment is absolution. That's my motto.
Since he's guilty, he can atone with his life."
The disciple, relieved to be off the hook, immediately turned back toward the boy and his mother, grinning as he pulled the trigger.
But the lead bullet dissolved in midair, consumed by a surge of flame.
Stella stood in front of him, sword drawn, her voice icy. "How dare you aim a gun at a pregnant woman and a child? Have you no shame?"
"A Blazer?!"
Even if the disciple didn't recognize her, the flame surrounding her was enough to make him realize she was in a different league.
"Oh my, if it isn't the second princess of the Vermillion Empire," Smile said, walking forward with that same disgusting expression.
Stella summoned her Device—Laevateinn, the Dragon Sin Sword—and pointed it at Smile. "I challenge you on behalf of these hostages. If I win, you release them."
Smile laughed coldly. "How noble of you. But I'm no knight, so I refuse!"
He raised a hand, and all the disciples instantly lifted their rifles—not at Stella, because they knew full well that even twenty rifles couldn't harm her.
They aimed at the hostages.
"Cowards!" Stella growled through gritted teeth. But that was all she could say.
Smile laughed. "I wasn't planning to harm the hostages. But then you, Princess, stirred up trouble.
And someone's taken out a few of my people. Probably your doing too, huh?
Tell you what—if you accept my proposal, I'll spare the hostages."
"What do you mean?" Stella asked warily.
Smile's smile twisted even more grotesquely. "Everyone knows that crimes can be atoned for with an apology.
So just apologize—strip naked and bow prostrate on the ground. Five-point kneel, like a proper dog.
Of course, I, mere Smile, wouldn't dare order a royal to do something so degrading. You're free to refuse… but if you do…"
Smile knew she wouldn't say no. He wasn't making a real offer—he was just humiliating her.
As expected, Stella couldn't allow innocent civilians to be harmed right in front of her. Biting her lip, her hand trembled as she reached for the buttons of her top, while the disciples laughed.
"That's enough!"
No one noticed how the scarf-wearing boy appeared. But the Rebellion followers who had been waiting for a show immediately began shouting angrily.
Smile's twisted grin vanished. As a Blazer himself, he could sense the ominous pressure coming off the boy.
Still, he didn't panic. He still held the hostages' lives in his hands.
Charles's expression was dark. Religious fanatics were already disgusting, but a perverted one? That was unforgivable.
And he'd dared to humiliate Charles's friend. That was a crime worthy of death.
"I've had enough of your filth. So I've decided… I'm not going to be gentle anymore."
Smile scoffed. "Bold words. But for you, kneeling won't be enough.
Open fire—show him what happens when someone pisses me off."
Charles stepped forward. His scarf fluttered in the wind.
Everyone in the plaza suddenly saw a flicker of deep crimson. The air grew scorching.
The sound of rifles clattering to the ground filled the plaza, followed by the thuds of bodies collapsing. Every Rebellion disciple had fallen, unable to even move—let alone fire a shot.
Smile crumpled to the ground, voice shaking. "Y-You… what did you just do?!"
"Magic Domain—Dragon's Nest."
"Pathetic scum who prey on the weak never have the courage to look a dragon in the eye," Charles said coldly.
The unfortunate part was that the hostages had collapsed too. That was why Charles had originally leaned toward Shizuku's barrier plan—his technique made no distinction between friend and foe. Though it caused no physical harm, its psychological impact was overwhelming.
Stella, still barely upright thanks to her sword, trembled. And yet, her eyes weren't filled only with fear as she stared at Charles's back.
"What's with Charles's power? It's terrifying!"
"Did he get this angry because of me? Does that mean… he cares about me?"
"So this is what it feels like to be protected… It's kind of nice."
...
As her thoughts drifted further and further into that direction, Stella gradually forgot to be afraid.
Charles, meanwhile, had no idea that Stella had mentally "gone off track" and resisted his Domain purely through sheer delusion. His focus was now solely on the enemy before him.
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