Sustaining The King's Life 137 Are You Alright?

They are creatures that are similar to cyclops, but are two-eyed. Cyclops are only one-eyed, which made them rely more on their senses, making the trolls actually weaker than they are. However, golems are another issue. 

"Golems are made by magicians to protect an area—it only obeys its castor, and insignias that had been marked by the castor. It is widely used as guards in Magierstadt's greenhouse, because they're very close to nature."

Faustina panted as she tried to run from the golem's attack. A golem, who is usually considered as the guard of greenhouses, is now attacking her! Faustina continued to run to the damp gra.s.s, with only the darkness welcoming her. Given the fact that there is only one area she could light from the Lumos coming from her staff, she's technically at a clear disadvantage.

"INTRUDER!!!"

The golem reached to Faustina, attacking her from behind. Faustina only barely evaded its attack by throwing herself to the ground, sc.r.a.ping her knee. Faustina then wiped the smudged soil to her chin before she continued to run. 

From the distance, she sees a gla.s.s reflecting the light from her staff. And as Faustina continued to run, the picture was getting bigger.

"A greenhouse!"

**

Faustina opened the greenhouse's doors, revealing only broken pots, withered flowers, and purple vines ridden with thorns. And before Faustina could take another step, she stood alert and backed away in an instant she saw familiar plants in the mountains she lived with Eula.

"Carnivorous plants!"

She went to another side, avoiding all sorts of what could lead to her doom. There were even bear traps inside, and broken vials with shards spread across the entire s.p.a.ce.

From the distance, Faustina could hear the golem still searching for her. She felt a s.h.i.+ver run down her spine. Faustina ambled to the corner most part of the greenhouse and hid herself into the withered plants. The greenhouse was transparent as gla.s.s could ever be, so it was considered an inconvenient hiding spot. However, it was still better than being out in the open.

Faustina held her staff firmly. The wood of her staff had patterns that spoke of sheer intricacy. The broken gem on top just marks how different it was out of everyone else. Faustina negated her magic, retracting the spell Lumos. Now it was just her and the darkness, waiting silently.

Faustina gritted her teeth.

At this rate, she'll seriously fail. If she wouldn't be able to even conjure a single spell without it going uncontrolled, how in the world would she be able to complete her task? Find Eula's body? Find the truth? The situation she was in was certainly considered tough. She knows she was being too hard on herself, but if she wouldn't be, then there will not be a room for growth.

People constantly did things for her, and now she had to stand by her own feet.

"Mana. I have to feel my mana around me and control it."

When she was with Orwell, she never actually conjured a huge amount of magic, only simple spells. Orwell told her that she will be able to regulate her magic in the academy better. Besides, when she tried to, there wasn't anything that came out of it.

Then why, why right now? Why are her nerves pulsating like this? When she conjured a wind spell, it went just fine. That water whirlpool, just what made the difference between that spell and the other? Is it because she used a different element? 

Faustina's grip tightened even more.

"No, the risk is too high . . ."

If she uses other elements, she couldn't be completely certain she wouldn't go on a rampage and could possibly fail the exam completely. Yes, she could still enroll after a year—but Jonathan, that Forsaken Warlock, isn't someone who would wait. The clock is ticking. Eula's soul is at stake. The king gave her an order.

An order that would benefit her and the king once and for all.

"FOUND YOU,�� 

Faustina was quick to respond. With the broken staff's gem's Lumos, Faustina was able to blind the golem momentarily with a flash of quick light. "Lumos!" Faustina conjured. The golem had just broken into the greenhouse itself, destroying its gla.s.s walls. If this wasn't an exam, it would have been considered as taboo, considering that golems should be made to protect the greenhouse at all costs.

But then again, this is an exam with artificial enemies aimed to fail them. 

Faustina tightened the grip around her staff. Now or never!

"Ventus exacuere vade . . . wind slas.h.!.+" Faustina chanted, swinging her staff to the air. A magical hex appeared, and then followed is the formation of the wind like a curved blade, slas.h.i.+ng to the golem itself.

Faustina panted, staring at her arms. They were still pulsating, but the nerves didn't look like tree roots now. So that's how it is. Since Orwell taught her majorly wind spells, she was more accustomed to it. Faustina sighed in relief as she did not fail—

And then she realized it was too early to be at ease.

It just happened way too quickly; the golem that the spell had slashed came back rising with even more malevolent, red eyes. And from that point on, everything flashed to Faustina as slowly. The prompt movement; the golem's upward slam straight to Faustina, became so slow to her eyes.

That's right, she got conceited for a second, and now . . . she's just one attack away from failing!

"Faustina!!!"

And then, before Faustina's eyes, was an earth spell. Blocking the fist of the golem was a barrier made from the ground, enclosing Faustina away from harm. 

"Mich.e.l.le, now!"

"Yes! Alliges duplica terram! Ground bind!!!" A girl's voice chanted, making the ground from below wrap around the golem.

"Ingurgito terram! Ground engulf!" The ground that bound the golem began to pull the golem back to the earth itself, pulling it down to the terra as it howled in silent pain. 

"Your earth spells are indeed amazing, Mich.e.l.le,"

"Th-thank you! It was nothing, really. Hehe!"

Faustina slowly opened her eyes as she heard footsteps nearing to her. And then, that's when she saw him . . . and them.

A hand was extended to her, waiting to be accepted—along with many other familiar faces just behind him.

"Are you alright," he said with a slight grin. "Faustina?"

Faustina blinked several times.

"Leviticus . . ."

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