[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower":3,"chapter-the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-117":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Problematic Child of the Magic Tower",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1334913,1778,"Chapter 117","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-117",117,"\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>w\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chapter 117: The Mage of Ashes (7)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pour boiling oil over the wall!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s no more oil to boil!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn it, then boil water or something! Just stop them from climbing up no matter what!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lieutenants on the fortress wall screamed at the top of their lungs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With one side of the wall already collapsed, they couldn’t afford to lose the ramparts as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s the situation on the collapsed wall?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The knights and mages are working together to hold them off, but…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The trailing end of the report hinted at the grim reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mana was not an infinite resource.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, during wartime, even using half of one's usual strength was a struggle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘When casting spells under stress, more mana is consumed, and their power diminishes.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, while they had managed to hold out so far, it was clear the situation couldn’t last indefinitely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grinding his teeth, the lieutenant looked down below the wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the past several hours, the corpses of orcs they had killed had piled up into mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And those living orcs were desperately climbing over the wall using those corpses as footholds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...Hell.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was hell incarnate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A surge of fear gripped the lieutenant, and his pupils trembled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the mighty star Theodore Bale missing in action, the only hope left for the allied forces lay with one man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A mage known solely for destruction, leaving everything he passed in ashes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The interim commander, Lloyd Schultz.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Give me the telescope.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Receiving the telescope from a subordinate, the lieutenant scanned the enemy's position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the center of the chaos stood Lloyd, wreaking havoc, though his condition was visibly dire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huff, huff.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His combat robe was torn in multiple places, and small wounds covered his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drenched in sweat, Lloyd couldn’t even think to wipe it away as he stared down his opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You can’t seem to focus on our duel, human mage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ulgur, a massive orc carrying a colossal axe on his shoulder, spoke in a booming voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two were standing in a vast open space, a sacred dueling ground formed by a wall of living orcs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘A duel…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, an orc chieftain would never engage in a duel that didn’t serve his purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a duel in name only.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If it were just one-on-one, this would’ve been much easier.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Lloyd wasn’t fighting just one opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s coming.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling the vibrations beneath his feet, Lloyd dove to the side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet escaping the attack range of the colossal King Sandworm that burst from the ground was impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gah!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The impact was like being hit by a car at full speed, shaking his entire body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to his mana mitigating the impact, he barely avoided instant death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Lloyd steadied himself, a massive shadow loomed over him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your back is exposed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ulgur’s axe descended toward his neck with a fierce sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>『Sunflower of Protection』\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just in time, Lloyd snapped his fingers, and a giant sunflower bloomed behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crash!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sunflower blocked the axe once before scattering into pieces, as Lloyd whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Blossom Inferno.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That spell won’t work.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A fiery magic engulfed Ulgur’s body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flower petals erupted into powerful explosions, but they left no significant wounds on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph. So this is all a high-ranking human mage can do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lloyd didn’t respond and glanced back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had long since been separated from the knights who had stormed the enemy camp with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ulgur had cleverly isolated him from them to set up this situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The reason for that is clear.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, this was the middle of a battlefield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no reason or loyalty compelling his comrades to return and save him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lloyd took a deep breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘At least now, I won’t risk dragging any allies into the range.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>World Liberation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A power allowed only to those who had reached the exalted realm of Level 7 magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘In a way, this is perfect.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was grateful there were no allies nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All his world would bring was utter devastation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...World Liberation. Eternal Blossom Revival.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Lloyd began channeling mana to liberate his world, a massive magic circle buried beneath the desert sands began to glow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, Lloyd’s face went pale, and he vomited blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cough! Cough!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mana circuits had tangled, causing a violent backlash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He collapsed onto one knee, coughing up blood, as Ulgur slowly approached him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The orc chieftain grinned, revealing yellowed teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kehehe, it works perfectly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cough, cough… What is this…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A gift from the humans.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Specifically, a trap set by the Black Finger—when someone attempted World Liberation, the magic circle would disrupt their mana flow and cause severe damage to their circuits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Damn it…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wiping the blood from his lips with the back of his hand, Lloyd cursed himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To think he’d fall for a strategy devised by mere orcs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Or perhaps this is the natural outcome of my arrogance.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a Level 7 mage, he had thought himself invincible against orcs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That pride had led him to this moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Any last words?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ulgur demanded Lloyd’s final words, but Lloyd said nothing in reply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The pride of humans, huh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vroom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The massive axe came flying toward his nape with a vicious sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lloyd hastily conjured a barrier, but he knew full well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was impossible to block the enemy's attack with this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn it…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he instinctively bit his lip, a sharp metallic clash resounded, followed by ragged breathing from behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah, hah… Just in time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Gallahad?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lloyd looked at the knight who had saved him with a dumbfounded expression for a moment before snapping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the Fuck—! Didn’t I tell you not to come here no matter what!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What, and you’re scolding me for saving you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gallahad deflected the massive axe, but even a single blow left him gasping for air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gritted his teeth, glaring at Ulgur’s towering figure, which was twice his size.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>w\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A mage with no sense of self-preservation, fighting a duel against impossible odds? Have you lost your mind?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you think I wanted this—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Run.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I said run. We’ll buy you some time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could even process the thought, several orcs’ heads rolled to the ground, accompanied by battle cries from behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The First Knight Batallion…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group he thought had scattered and returned to the citadel—why were they here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before his confusion could clear, dozens of knights formed an unyielding defense around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Don’t attach any grand meaning to this act.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the forefront, Gallahad muttered coldly without even turning back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through this battlefield, the First Knight Battalion had come to understand one thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their commander’s disappearance had nothing to do with Lloyd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘A man who would stoop to such vile schemes couldn’t possibly possess this level of selflessness.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reclusive and grim mage who always holed up in his quarters, lost in inscrutable thoughts—that was the image Gallahad and the knights had of Lloyd Schultz.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that impression had completely changed in just a few hours on the battlefield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘At the very least, he’s not the type to resort to underhanded tricks.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man’s character can be seen in his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This mage consistently positioned himself at the front, shouldering the risks and sending his comrades to safer positions during crises.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Perhaps we just needed someone to blame.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their frustration stemmed from their failure to protect their esteemed commander.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They simply wanted a scapegoat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gallahad gripped his sword tightly, his hands still numb from deflecting the axe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go. What the Red Citadel needs now is not a sharp sword, but a steady pillar.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lloyd stared at the steadfast knight’s back before slowly rising and speaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Disobeying commands during a battle. You’ll all face disciplinary action for this later, so be prepared.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you out of your mind? Don’t make our sacrifice meaningless!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ordinarily, Lloyd would have followed those words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Returning alive would benefit the Red Citadel more and be the logical choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He slowly turned to face the Red Citadel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be precise, he gazed at the powerful magic emanating from it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It worked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realizing this before anyone else, Lloyd let out a faint smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, I’d say there’s no need for anyone to die here today.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you talking about…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ten minutes. Just hold out for that long.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lloyd’s words trailed off as an intense energy he’d felt earlier began cutting through the battlefield at an unimaginable speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He squinted as he turned toward it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Could it be… is the commander recklessly rushing in to save us? No, this speed is…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The distance closed in the blink of an eye, almost as if space itself was being leaped over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And soon, Lloyd’s sight revealed the reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thanks.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah… hah… no need to thank me…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar, who had used Blink seven times in rapid succession, was gasping for breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he didn’t regret it—not when the Empire’s Red Citadel commander had been delivered right in front of the enemy leader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You look a mess after just a few hours.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You’re back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon confirming the man’s face, Lloyd finally relaxed, muttering softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Commander.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Theodore Bale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The master of the Red Citadel had returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“C-Commander!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How…? Where were you all this time…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The knights who had followed him stared with wide eyes, their disbelief clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haha, we’ll talk about that later. For now, let’s handle the situation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned his gaze to Ulgur, who looked utterly baffled, and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll take care of their leader. You take care of the rest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Be cautious. There’s a magic circle installed that causes backlash if one releases magic.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ho, such a spell exists? No matter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Holding a single sword, he stepped forward casually, as if on a stroll.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s no need to unleash my domain anyway.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With those words, the commander lunged forward like a bolt of lightning, overwhelming Ulgur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simultaneously, emboldened knights began cutting down the surrounding orcs like stalks of wheat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…This is war.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Level 7 knight or mage is a strategic weapon capable of altering the tide of war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the balance broken, the battlefield was no longer a war—it was a massacre.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumble!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, the ground shook as a King Sandworm emerged with its jaws wide open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lloyd!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar shouted in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had assumed Lloyd would dodge using『Flight』, but instead, he was swallowed whole without resistance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the worry was short-lived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The massive body of the King Sandworm, which had swallowed Lloyd and soared skyward,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Dancer’s Waltz.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>was shredded from within by countless flower petals, leaving not even a corpse behind as it disintegrated in midair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moments later, when the commander beheaded Ulgur, Oscar was certain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s over.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Red Citadel’s undefeated legend had continued once more today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>w\u003C\u002Fp>",1807,"2026-06-05T20:00:10.789Z",1,"novelbin.me","288c28ccdd37744c73d9fabec1ba8ac9d191a8af488589dfa65629ce1b181e6b","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-118","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-116",375,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-cover.jpg"]