Chapter 233: Summoning Magus Zelretch to Audience
Originally, Zelretch had been thinking that after he intercepted Vivian, the head maid, last time, Noah would next send the Enforcement Knights to surround and suppress him and his group.
Although his fellow disciples were rushing over as quickly as possible after he contacted them, large capitals like Tianjing were protected by special Divine Protections. Therefore, aside from the royal family on Noah's side, no one else could use long-distance teleportation within Tianjing's boundaries or teleport away from Tianjing.
Teleportation within Tianjing was only possible for short distances and could not extend beyond the city's limits.
Thus, even if his fellow disciples teleported to the outermost edge of Tianjing's restrictions, it would still take them nearly a day to reach Zelretch's location.
Zelretch had been pondering how he could hold out if the Enforcement Knights came to surround him during this period.
He believed that his temporary Magical Workshop had been reinforced, strengthened using his most proficient Jewel Magecraft.
Additionally, there were sufficient supplies here, and the number of Magi was not small.
Under such circumstances, a Magical Workshop of this level should be able to hold out for a day and delay until the arrival of his fellow disciples, right?
But...
The external defenses of the Magical Workshop were completely untriggered.
The internal space was directly distorted.
The Crystal Wall formed by the restrictions Zelretch had set against spatial movement was instantly shattered by the will of the other party the moment they initiated the teleportation.
It seemed as if all the restrictions within this temporary Magical Workshop had lost their effectiveness.
Or rather... the restrictions were useless against the one initiating the teleportation!
That individual was bound by no taboos!
Zelretch had previously considered the possibility of the defensive spells being dismantled, being hijacked, or even the other party launching a direct assault to destroy the entire Magical Workshop.
But... he never imagined that the other party would fundamentally ignore all their preparations. Their Magecraft, their strategies—everything seemed to turn into utterly ridiculous jokes in the face of the other party.
If the other party wanted to see him, they simply initiated a teleportation directly here!
This was what Zelretch thought as he observed the distorted space, but he soon noticed something amiss!
The spatial distortion was not limited to a small area but... targeted the entire internal space of the Magical Workshop!
He could sense the atmosphere within the entire Magical Workshop becoming extremely chaotic. The surging Magical Energy shook the air, bringing immense pressure while also seemingly transforming this place into an entirely different realm.
Moreover, after snapping out of his daze and looking around, Zelretch realized that aside from himself, all the other Magi had knelt in one direction, not daring to lift their heads.
Zelretch looked in that direction and immediately understood.
It was the direction of the imperial palace!
At that moment, a voice resounded directly throughout the distorted space.
"Summon the Magus, Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg, for an audience—"
As the voice echoed, the terrifying pressure intensified severalfold. Though not directed at Zelretch, it still made him feel as if he were standing before a colossal structure.
That feeling, the kind that makes one fully aware of their own insignificance.
Moreover, as the voice echoed, every Spell Formula within the entire Magical Workshop twisted and failed in unison with its sound.
Even the Magecraft-powered lamps responsible for illumination went out.
The world plunged into darkness.
As for Zelretch, after a moment of pitch-blackness, the next time he appeared, he was no longer inside the Magical Workshop.
It was at this moment that Zelretch understood.
The other party had never intended to teleport to their side from the beginning.
The other party... had planned from the very start to teleport him here!
And after his eyes adjusted to the sudden light and he could clearly see everything around him, Zelretch also realized.
Although he had never been here before, the moment he looked up, he understood.
At the head of the grand hall where he stood, directly in front of him, a staircase leading upward stretched toward the light source above.
The staircase itself was clearly visible.
But the area at the top merged with the light source, only allowing a faint glimpse of the throne at the summit and the figure seated upon it within the intense radiance.
Zelretch knew nothing of architecture, nor was he certain if this followed the architectural style of a royal palace's main hall. Yet, the moment he became aware that the figure on the throne truly existed,
even if this place were not so magnificent, even if it were merely a thatched hut, that hut would be the palace! That straw mat would be the throne!
If one were to ask why...
————It was because he was the King of the World!
Thinking this, Zelretch suddenly realized he had been lost in thought for far too long!
Only then did he intend to bow, but as he was about to move, he discovered he was already kneeling on the ground in a posture of reverence, without knowing when it had happened!
This had nothing to do with his will... While he was stunned, his body, his instincts, had spontaneously completed this action!
Is this... is this the Momentum of the King of the World!?
No need to speak, no need to prove, no need to display the Crown or nobility—simply by sitting there, he was the undisputed, universally acknowledged King of the World, requiring no validation!
That was a true king, transcending the use of rhetoric to command wills!
Zelretch understood this, and while he was still somewhat shaken, a voice descended along the towering staircase, like an advancing army, like rolling stones.
"Magus, though I have long been aware of your existence, I never expected that without me seeking you out, you would dare lay hands on my maid."
"Although your actions have proven your ignorance and weakness, before striking, you should have been prepared, correct?"
The voice was calm, yet immense.
This strange sense of contradiction kept Zelretch's spirit on edge, not daring to relax in the slightest.
"Great and honorable King of the World..."
This address escaped Zelretch's lips the moment he opened his mouth, as if fleeing.
"...We had no intention of offending you. Our previous actions were indeed my folly. To make amends, we are willing to offer you a sincere apology and beg for your forgiveness of our recklessness and ignorance."
Zelretch lowered his posture as much as possible.
He also believed that offering Modern Magecraft as a bargaining chip would be sufficient as an apology.
Upon hearing him speak in this manner, Noah, who had never intended to kill him in the first place, spoke again.
"You indeed caused no casualties, and it was you who ultimately failed. In that case, it is not impossible for you to offer an apology and ask me to reconsider—but can you present an apology worthy of my attention?"
"Hmm... Though it remains far too humble compared to Your Majesty... we offer it with utmost sincerity!"
Hearing Zelretch say this, Noah laughed.
"And what if you fail to present it...?"
"If we cannot offer an apology of sufficient sincerity, I swear in the name of my teacher Solomon that we shall submit ourselves entirely to Your Majesty's judgment!"
Zelretch was not afraid that they would present something only for the other party to deliberately claim it was insufficient.
Because the other party was the King of the World.
From the kingly aura alone, Zelretch could sense that this was not someone petty enough to stoop to such contemptible tactics.
Such behavior was beneath the other party's dignity.
Therefore...
Zelretch was filled with absolute confidence!