The Girl Who Hacked The Magic System

"... and this is what happened on our side, after we separated from Lovelace. When I woke up again, she and Aurea had already arrived."

We are in a room in the army's office, and surrounding a big table is a group composed of me, Ingela, Lovelace, Yaci, Kwarah, Yawarete, Seufroy, uncle Jyllian, Shalia, and king Halinard.

Yes, the king himself came to hear the reports on what happened to the guy who had put him under so much suffering over the years.

Reports of which Ingela has just presented the last part.

"One of the most crucial pieces of information is that he had already created spawns... we fought and destroyed three, but we should work with the assumption that there might be at least one spawn of his who managed to escape."

"I agree with Lovelace's evaluation on that. We have two teams already in place there, with some of our best, doing the cleaning and keeping in touch with the base at all times."

I make a gesture for Ingela to go back to her seat as I speak.

"We need to secure the access to any incriminating document we might find before someone comes in and tries to get rid of the evidence."

"My dear granddaughter... sometimes I forget you're only fifteen. You've come out just like your mother, so decisive and full of fire. I agree with your line of thinking. Jyllian, double the night watch in the city during the coming month."

"Yes, father."

I manage only to look down as I feel my cheeks burning with the compliment.

"Also, you three. Lovelace, Ingela, and Yaci. Thank you very much."

The king bowed to them.

A complete silence befalls the room, as everyone is too astonished to react. Including me.

A king bowing to anyone else is already a big thing.

But Ingela is a commoner, and Yaci is a beastkin.

This is a human king bowing to a beastkin. It's something completely unheard of.

"No, no... it's okay. We were just doing our duty as soldiers."

"Yeah, as Ingela said. We are allies now, and helping each other is something normal."

"And I was doing my job as the court wizard."

Grandpa straightens himself back up and laughs.

"And thanking you all for your help in solving a crucial issue for the kingdom is just my duty as a king. So there's no need to be so flustered as well."

He then takes the empty cup that is on the table in front of him and makes a gesture with the hand. One of the knights that is serving us during the meeting brings him water.

Normally we wouldn't have anyone serving, but the presence of the king changes some things. And one of them is to always have someone ready to serve.

"And I want to thank you also for rescuing Aurea when she fled to the Barrens and for taking care of her all that time. You say that helping each other is normal for allies, and I agree. You have my word as the king that I will help the beastkin as much as I can."

Now that I think about it, it's the first time the representatives of the beastkin meet the king in person. It's always been me handling the negotiations as the representative of Wesgoth.

I can't wait for the moment when slavery is outlawed and I can take Yaci to dine in a fancy restaurant.

"We just did what anyone would do when finding a lost little girl in the wilds. And I'm really glad about it. She's one of the most amazing persons I've ever met in my whole life."

Okay, okay, let's stop with that, you two?

I need to change the subject; otherwise the meeting will derail.

"One important thing I noted in there is that the mana is completely warped and twisted, certainly because of all the undead and the magic needed to produce them. We need to clean that place in the spiritual sense before using it for anything else."

"I was going to ask about it. What is your evaluation about it, Lovelace?"

The one who picked up on my cue was Yawarete. Thank you!

"It's like what Aurea said. It is dense with dark energy. I can get rid of it, but just getting rid of it is not enough. The place needs a proper cleaning like the ones done by the Church."

"But we can't ask the Church to do it if we want to then use the place for ourselves. Yawarete, does someone in your tribe have the knowledge and tools to perform that cleaning?"

"Of course, Aurea. If it wasn't such a large area, I would say that I can do it by myself. But with how large it is, I'll have to take some people to help me. But it's not so different from the cleaning we do in our own religious rituals."

"Exactly. I've heard that the rituals of the Church of the human goddess are very different from ours because of the differences in belief. But the purifying effects should be the same."

They've told me that there was some sort of barrier that prevents them from calling the Loa here, even if they bring the fruits from the tree of The Enchanted Ones to this place.

It's yet to be tested if the barrier is a thing of this Arena or if it also affects other places of the human kingdoms. But still, a simple purification ritual should be possible.

"Right then. Form a team and get them ready to move as soon as they're called. When the first team finishes the physical cleaning of an area, you go there and do the spiritual cleaning of that area."

"Yes, Aurea."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Why the laughter, Kwarah?"

"I'm just amused that in the end we find ourselves in a situation in which you are commanding me. We can never fully predict the twisting turns life will take us through."