Chapter 82
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Chapter 82
Then he seized my wrist and pressed something into my palm.
I pulled my hand free and opened it to find a ring set with an emerald no larger than a pinky nail.
"What is this?"
"Payment for catching the fish."
Oh. I'd thought him utterly devoid of conscience, yet it seemed he possessed at least a modicum of decency.
"It's beautiful."
"A mana-assist ring, then."
Enoch glanced at the ring I held and spoke. At that, Asdal clapped his hands and expressed delight, saying that half-emperors were indeed clever.
"It may appear like a jewel, but it's one hundred percent pure mana stone. It's an auxiliary tool that both regulates and facilitates the release of mana."
So what was embedded in the ring wasn't an emerald at all, but a mana stone.
"Why would you give me something so precious? I don't even know how to use mana, and I have no need for it."
I extended my hand to return the ring, but Asdal shook his head and refused it.
"Accept it regardless of whether you use it. I'm the sort of person who becomes quite irritable watching those with abilities squander them."
Though I didn't particularly want it, I sensed that pressing the matter further with Asdal would lead to considerable trouble, so I resigned myself to accepting the ring.
"It's unfortunate we cannot test the ring's power here on the Island. An auxiliary tool, after all, requires mana to be channeled into it for activation."
Hearing Asdal's murmur, I realized this ring functioned similarly to Kaiden's earring.
Our inability to use mana on the Island wasn't because our mana had been completely annihilated. Simply put, everyone's mana was in a state of being 'sealed' within our bodies.
"Put it on."
Asdal gestured toward the ring I held.
"No, thank you. You said it's useless on this Island anyway. I'll test it once we escape."
"It won't even function, so what harm in simply wearing it? It would be a shame to let such a beautiful ring waste away in your pocket."
Asdal urged me again. Fearing further refusal would prove bothersome, I reluctantly slipped the ring onto my index finger.
A soft chime.
In that instant, the energy flowing through my body surged and began concentrating toward my fingertip.
"Wait, what?"
Asdal stared at me with astonishment.
I too was startled, watching as the energy converged on my finger, when suddenly the ring began to glow.
"What in the world is this...."
Asdal gasped and seized my hand. The moment he grasped it, his blue eyes shimmered with a deep emerald light.
Enoch, alarmed, rushed over in concern.
"Margaret! Are you all right?"
Enoch cradled both my cheeks in his hands, studying my complexion with worry. I nodded uncertainly, then turned back to Asdal.
Asdal stared at me with an expression of disbelief, his brow furrowed.
"The moment I grasped your hand, your mana flowed into me."
"I... what?"
What was he saying? I could only blink in confusion. Was that why his eye color changed the moment he took my hand with the ring on?
Now that I thought about it, he'd said this ring both regulated and 'facilitated the release of' mana.
"For this ring to function, mana must be channeled into it... But everyone on this Island is supposed to have their mana sealed, isn't it? Why is only your mana unsealed?"
Bewildered by Asdal's question, I too gazed down at the ring on my index finger.
Why could I release magical power outward when others couldn't?
"Could it be because of this magical power auxiliary device you gave me?"
"No, didn't I tell you? You have to infuse magical power into it. My magical power is currently sealed, so I can't use it. Looking at this now, it seems the Young Lady's magical power has never been sealed in the first place?"
Only then did I understand why Silver Earthworm had chosen to imprint me rather than Kaiden, who possessed far greater magical power.
Kaiden's magical power was sealed, making him appear as an ordinary human on the surface, while I had never experienced a seal on my magical power—perhaps I was being recognized as a superior entity with vast magical reserves.
"Why didn't you mention that your magical power wasn't sealed?"
Asdal's eyes narrowed with suspicion as he scrutinized my face intently. Enoch stepped protectively in front of me, his posture defensive.
I peeked out from behind Enoch's back and protested quietly.
"I didn't know. As I mentioned earlier, I don't even know how to use magical power."
I murmured this, then suddenly met Asdal's gaze. His eyes had returned to their original blue hue, different from moments before.
"But when you held my hand just now, your eye color changed. To this emerald shade."
Asdal, who had been lost in thought with his chin resting on his hand, looking bewildered by the situation, lifted his head at my question.
"When I use my magical eye, my eye color changes to green. I just used my magical eye with the magical power you gave me, Young Lady."
"...Wait. You're saying you can use my magical power? Is that even possible?"
"This magical stone is rather special. Do you think I would have given the Young Lady just any random object?"
Enoch nodded in agreement at Asdal's response.
"An auxiliary device that aids in the release of magical power—it's certainly an unusual item."
I glanced up at Enoch briefly, then turned back to Asdal with another question.
"So if I release my magical power and transfer it to someone else, they can use that magical power?"
In other words, I could become a magical power charger for these people.
Asdal nodded as if confirming my understanding.
"It seems so. I gave you the gift for its magical control function, but it's being used for release instead. I've never operated magical power in such a way before, but.... Should I try on the Crown Prince what you just did for me?"
"Is that alright?"
At Asdal's suggestion, I looked up at Enoch. He stared at Asdal for a moment, then nodded.
"We can check if sword energy becomes usable."
Since both magic and sword energy stem from magical power as their source, it might be possible to use them.
Enoch drew his sword from the scabbard at his waist. I grasped his hand with the hand wearing the ring.
Then a brilliant yellow lightning-like light flickered and began to envelop Enoch's blade.
"This confirms it. On this Island, Flone Young Lady is the only one who can use magical power."
Asdal rose from his seat as he spoke. Enoch immediately tensed again, gripping his sword defensively in front of me.
Asdal approached us leisurely with his arms crossed, unbothered by Enoch's wariness.
"That's certainly...strange."
I, who was already the most suspected, had become even more suspicious because of this. But I couldn't very well tell them that another soul had entered Margaret's body.
Now that I thought about it, we all shared a common trait. We were all people who possessed tremendous magical and divine power.
Could someone have confined us to this Island to experiment with our abilities? If so, why would they seal our powers?
And the fact that only I could use magical power among them—surely it was because an alien soul like "Jin-ju Lee" had possessed Margaret's body?
There was no other explanation for it.
Asdal observed me with narrowed eyes, as if gauging my true thoughts.
"It is strange. The situation is certainly suspicious, isn't it? Of course, I have no intention of hastily blaming the Young Lady as the culprit behind all this, like before. From what I've seen so far, the Young Lady also appears to have been brought here against her will. Moreover, the fact that there's someone among us unaffected by the Island's influence is rather hopeful."
Enoch, who had been watching Asdal quietly, realized he meant no threat to me and sheathed his sword.
Enoch then turned to me and asked.
"How much magical power do you think you've expended? Has it become more difficult than before?"
I shook my head.
"No, I'm not sure if it's become harder. Compared to earlier, there doesn't seem to be much difference. To be honest, I don't even know how to sense magical power in the first place..."
Upon hearing my answer, Asdal's face brightened and he clapped his hands. He gazed at me with eyes that seemed to have rediscovered his will to live.
Now that I thought about it, this man was the type who grew irritated whenever he saw people with abilities squandering them.
"Indeed! With such a tremendous reserve of magical power, it seems you haven't even felt like you've released any at all! I can teach you how to sense magical power. It would be beneficial if others could share and use the Young Lady's magical power, after all."
I had no major objections to that point.
Learning magic directly in such a short timeframe was realistically impossible.
So rather than that, it would be most efficient in this situation for me to release my magical power and support others by allowing them to use it.
Asdal pointed to Rujeep, who was sleeping in the Living Room.
"Once Rujeep awakens, we should verify whether it works with divine power as well."
No matter what, what I possessed was magical power—surely it had nothing to do with divine power, right?
If that were truly the case, then Rujeep would be useless even in a situation like this... How tragic.
The one who could most effectively utilize this power would likely be Kaiden, the mage.
* * *
"Damn those bastards!"
Kaiden had Diego and Yuanna bound tightly inside the Cabin, and he lay sprawled beside them.
"Ugh. Let this go."
Yuanna's whimpering voice burrowed into Kaiden's ears. But he lay motionless on his spot.
Yuanna's sobbing continued unabated.
Crash.
And then, Diego, who had been struggling alongside Yuanna while bound inside the Cabin, finally destroyed the structure.
"What the hell, you damn bastard!"
Kaiden sprang to his feet, scooped Yuanna into his arms, and rushed out of the Cabin in panic.
Diego stood among the broken debris. His face contorted, he tore at the front of his garment and exhaled hot, ragged breaths.
Then, Yuanna's voice was heard.
"Rodban, my body is burning up."
Yuanna, nestled in Kaiden's embrace, reached out trembling hands and urgently pulled his neck close.
Her delicate hands slowly caressed his bare shoulder.
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