I Became a Sick Nobleman-Chapter 194: The Tonisk Empire (3)

As the blizzard gradually subsided, Tyson confidently revealed himself. Ruel’s mouth curled into a smile.

—It’s Ruel’ uncle!

Leo waved his front paw.

“No way!” Noah exclaimed in amazement, finding it hard to believe his eyes—a person emerging from a portal as thin as a thumb.

Following Tyson, the magic knights emerged from the portal, clad in their knightly attire, their sky-blue capes fluttering in the wind.

Thud.

In unison, they saluted towards Ruel.

A chill ran down Noah’s spine at the sight. They appeared ready for battle, their expressions solemn and resolute. Noah would say, without jest, that this was perhaps the most magnificent moment of his life.

“Ruel.” Tyson approached and embraced Ruel.

“Thank you, uncle.” Ruel returned the embrace.

The portal device and the way to deal with the black water—credit for all of it went to Tyson and the magic knights.

“Ruel.” Tyson stepped back, gazing at Ruel. The warmth in Tyson’s eyes was boundless.

“Didn’t I always tell you that you were my most precious gift? I’ll do anything for you.”

“Yes, you did.” Ruel smiled warmly. The chill of the cold seemed to vanish in Tyson’s embrace.

“Aris.” Tyson turned to Aris.

“Yes, Tyson-nim.”

“Do you have the strength to continue?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Then let’s work together to break that barrier.” Tyson approached Aris, extending his hand.

“Of course.” Aris grinned, taking Tyson’s hand and rising.

“You’ve become more dramatic since we last met.”

“Perhaps I’m just feeling more my age now?”

The magic knights playfully greeted Aris, ruffling his hair and putting him in a headlock.

“Now, let’s postpone the joyful reunions for a while.” Tyson’s words changed the mood among the magic knights instantly.

“Our future is in our hands; let’s move forward.” With that, Tyson strode towards the barrier, the wave of sky-blue cloaks behind him exuding reliability.

“Aren’t you cold, Ruel?” Tyson looked back with concern.

“I’m fi…” Before Ruel could finish, flames erupted around him, spreading rapidly, startling him. The magic knights were showcasing their magic prowess.

“You might catch a cold if you’re not careful, Ruel.”

“Yes! We’ll handle the troublesome tasks; please take care of yourself, Ruel-nim!”

Ruel looked bewildered, feeling grateful but also uncomfortable as the heat intensified. As Cassion contemplated whether to take Ruel somewhere else, one of the magic knights pointed out the current situation.

“Hey, there’s too much fire! Ruel-nim might get burned at this rate!”

“Extinguish it first. My magic protects Ruel-nim!”

“Same here! Are you the only knight?”

“Sorry about that, Ruel. Everyone is just a bit too enthusiastic today, so please understand.”

Fwoosh.

With a long exhale, Tyson conjured a water snake around Ruel, swiftly extinguishing the flames. The magic knights shot frustrated glances at Tyson.

“Commander!”

“That’s so unfair! You only left your magic alone!”

Ignoring their protests, Tyson quickened his pace, the magic knights trailing behind with discontent on their faces. Aris chuckled softly, feeling a sense of returning home.

“Everyone remembers, right?”

“How could we forget?”

At Tyson’s words, the magic knights responded as if recalling a nightmare. They had decided to divide the sections of the magic circle among themselves. If they got the order wrong, it would be over. If the amount of mana was different, it would be over. They had practiced relentlessly, knowing there would be no second chances.

“Ready!” The magic knights lined up, shouting in unison.

“Then let’s begin.” Tyson initiated the mana flow, intricately altering the central part of the barrier. Aris enveloped the surrounding area with his mana. Different hues of mana—orange, red, blue—transformed the barrier symbols, creating a mesmerizing display.

—Uwooh!

Leo momentarily stopped manipulating the blizzard and stared at the beautiful magic patterns with his mouth wide open.

“Remarkable,” Cassion remarked, noting the potentially risky mana release. “The mana being unleashed is greater than expected. Will it be safe?” The enemies were bound to take notice.

“That’s why I’ve asked Leo and the spirits to intensify the blizzard.” Ruel glanced at Leo and the spirits.

Mana came from nature. Ruel aimed to contain it within a dome created by the blizzard, minimizing the leakage. While he couldn’t block all the mana, he could at least prevent a significant portion from escaping.

Boom!

As the barrier changed, the long-closed gates of the Tonisk Empire began to open.

Thud!

A pounding headache and a sense of unease suddenly gripped Ruel. Whispers echoed from his own shadows, hinting at the presence of black water within the empire. Ruel bit his lip. He instinctively knew that there was black water within the empire.

‘As expected, the empire was filled with black water.’

—Rue, Ruel!

Leo was bewildered, encountering such a massive, out of natural order scent that left him speechless.

“Ruel-nim…” Hikars emerged from his shadow, tears welling as he gazed at the opened gates of the empire.

“This scale… It’s unbelievable. Such intense corruption and death. This is…” Hikars faltered. The death that had been concealed by the wall seemed petty compared to what he was experiencing now.

“It’s unbelievable.” Cassion was equally shaken.

Though the barrier contained it, the black water shimmered, reaching the city walls. The realization that the empire had been a vessel for the black water was sickening. As the black water was absorbed into the barrier, Ruel shut his eyes. He felt like tears were about to fall, just like Hikars. As the barrier continued to transform, the cries for help from the opened gates grew louder, intensifying an unknown headache.

‘Please, let this succeed.’

Ruel clenched his fists. The barrier had the capacity to absorb all the black water because of its size. The magic knights’ mana was crucial to maintaining the altered barrier.

Boom!

Startled by the loud noise that shook the ground, Ruel opened his eyes. As the barrier shifted, the black water that had been held back was on the verge of spilling out in all directions.

‘I can’t let it happen.’

Ruel inhaled Breath and moved forward.

“Ruel-nim, it’s dangerous!” Cassion rushed to halt him.

“I know. But even with your own eyes, you can see how unstable this situation is, right?”

Ruel had traveled to the empire for this critical moment. The worst-case scenario was failing to modify the barrier, followed by failing to sustain it, and now, the black water was spiraling out of control.

“I’ll accompany you,” Cassion offered, unable to stop Ruel any longer.

“Alright.”

Ruel walked over to Tyson, who was standing closest to the barrier. Tyson looked at Ruel but couldn’t speak. If he changed his breathing, he might lose his concentration. Ruel took a deep breath and spoke, mindful of the magic knights’ attentive ears.

“This is sudden, but I’m here. Do not panic or be surprised; focus only on the barrier right in front of you.”

Turning away from the knights, Ruel summoned his shadows, tears streaming down his face akin to Hikars.

“Ugh.” With a groan, Ruel frowned. He felt overwhelmed by the victims’ voices and the thick, suffocating air. Despite the choking sensation, he persisted, declaring, “I am here.”

Boom!

As if it had spotted prey, the black water that had been scattering in all directions suddenly rushed toward Ruel, who was standing in front of the barrier. Ruel could feel the black water looking at him.

-Help me!

-I can’t stand it here anymore! It’s suffocating!

The muttering voices became clearer, and the shadows Ruel had summoned started to change form on their own. However, Ruel immediately stopped the shadows’ actions.

‘Stay still. You’re the prey today, not the predator.’

In a split second, as his breathing quickened, Ruel put the Breath in his mouth.

“Ugh!” The knights groaned.

The impact of the black water, which had attacked like a pack of wild dogs, was immense. Their faces contorted as the black water was absorbed into the barrier at an unprecedented speed. It seemed like all the black water within the empire would be sucked in soon.

Drip. Drip.

Ruel felt blood trickling from his nose. The black water was a corrupted death, and just by its sound, it struck at Ruel’s shadow.

“Ruel-nim.” Cassion offered a handkerchief, but Ruel shook his head.

If he were to spit up blood, the magic knights standing behind him would be unsettled. He had to endure. He hadn’t come this far to display such a weakness. Ruel inhaled Breath, enduring the increasingly rapid breath, the taste of blood rising in his throat, and the throbbing headache as if his head was being pounded. It felt as though about ten minutes had passed.

“Now!” Tyson shouted.

The barrier that was maintained began to change once more. As the entire barrier was colored by an entirely different mana, the gates of the empire fully opened.

‘The barrier.’

Confronted by the desolate empire, Ruel closed his eyes for a moment before opening them

again. The barrier had disappeared. It had vanished, having absorbed the black water.

‘This is the empire?’

Inside, there was nothing. Truly, there was absolutely nothing. That sight was so lonely.

“Cough…!”

Ruel spit out blood, unable to hold it in any longer. He knelt down and saw the red blood pour onto the handkerchief. Tears spilled to the ground.

“Ruel-nim!”

At the frantic call of his name, Ruel managed a weak smile.

“You’ve all… worked hard…”

He tried to rise forcefully but collapsed, his vision blurring.

***

Blink. Blink.

Ruel blinked several times.

‘What is this?’

He couldn’t believe what he saw before him and cautiously reached out to touch it. The lukewarm sensation startled him.

‘A computer?’

His senses were sharp, yet he couldn’t speak.

‘Is this a dream?’

A sense of deja vu washed over him as he recognized the webpage of the ‘Novel King’ web novel site on the screen.

‘I thought I had returned to reality.’

His hands moved instinctively, searching.

-SSS-Class Knight.

Hovering over the latest chapter, he noticed a remaining balance of 240,000 won after checkout. Before delving into the story, he checked the donation notices.

-Important notice regarding donations.

‘Donations…?’

Ruel felt uncertain. He couldn’t remember having seen that notice.